-0/5"  9f 


:ioo 


GUx\,  ROD,  AND  SADDLE. 


PEUSONAL    EXPERIENCES. 


BY   UBIQOE. 


[y^k^  ju^-^ 


£J 


NEW  YORK: 

EXCELSIOR    PUBLISHING    HOUSE, 

29  AND  31  Beekman  Street, 


Entered  according  to  act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1869, 

By  W.  a.  town  send  &  ADAMS, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  llie  Uuited'States  for  tho 
Southern  District  of  New  York, 


ADYERTISEMENT 


The  fondness  the  English  gentry  have  for  man- 
ly sports  is  proverbial,  and  this  national  taste  has 
the  Ijest  possible  means  of  encouragement,  in  the 
adventurous  life  necessarily  pursued  by  officers  of 
an  army  which  has  its  outposts  in  every  part  of  the 
globe. 

The  author  of  this  little  volume  in  the  course  of 
his  military  service  had,  consequently,  the  oppor- 
tunity and  exceeding  pleasure  of  indulging  in 
almost  every  variety  of  manly  sport,  the  pursuit  of 
which  characterizes  the  accomplished  gentleman. 

His  intellectual  tastes  led  him  in  early  life  to 
the  studies  of  natural  history,  and  his  field  enjoy- 
ments opened  wide  the  arcana  of  nature — so  that 
he  combined  within  himself  the  double  satisfaction 
of  the  true  sportsman  and  the  intelligent  disciple 
of  nature. 

After  many  years  of  absence  he  returned  to 
London,  and  in  the  leisure  courted  after  long  ac- 


4  ADVERTISEMENT. 

live  service,  lie  prepared  for  the  press  the  series  of 
sketches  which  we  present  to  our  readers.  They 
were  received  with  great  favor  on  their  appearance 
by  the  best  English  and  Continental  anthorities, 
and  in  compliance  with  a  very  decidedly  expressed 
desire  were  gathered  into  a  volume 

Knowing  how  constantly  increasing  is  the  num- 
ber of  "  Sportsmen  IS'aturalists  "  in  the  country, 
this  volume  is  offered  as  affording  refreshing  read- 
ing and  pleasing  contrast  to  the  constantly  pre- 
sented sensational  literature  that  now  prevails — 
the  publishers  believing  that  there  are  chaniis  thrill- 
ing and  healthful  in  the  wild  and  manly  sports 
associated  with  the  Gux,  Rod,  and  Saddle. 

The  most  popular  and  the  most  usefid  of  living 
English  naturalists  was  attracted  by  these  sketches, 
and  upon  learning  that  it  was  proposed  to  issue  a 
transatlantic  edition,  he  expressed  his  approval  in 
the  following  note: 

*'  I  much  approve  of  Mr.  Gilmore's  book,  and  slioiild 
be  glad  to  hear  that  it  is  published  in  America." 

FxiANK  BUCKLAXD. 

New  York,  JIarch,  18G9. 


PREFACE. 


Havixg  had  the  honor  of  holding  Commissions 
under  Her  Most  Gracious  Majesty's  Flag  in  two 
Regiments  of  the  Line,  as  well  as  appointments  in 
the  Military  Train,  and  in  the  Commissariat  Depart- 
ment, I  have,  in  the  course  of  my  professional  duties, 
visited  many  parts  of  the  world.  A  natural  turn  for 
ohservation  of  the  habits  of  wild  animals,  and  a  dis- 
like of  a  wanton  destruction  of  life,  has  led  me  to 
make  the  best  use  of  my  opportunities,  whether  in 
the  dense  forests  of  Asia,  the  prairies  of  N'orth 
America,  the  rivers  of  Japan,  the  highlands  of  Mo- 
rocco, or  the  vast  expanse  of  the  mid-ocean. 


6  PREFACE. 

On  ray  return  to  England,  I  became  a  contributor 
to  the  "  jS'aturalist"  and  "Fishery"  cohimns  of  "Land 
and  Water."  Permission  has  been  kindly  granted  to 
me  by  the  proprietors  of  that  journal  to  republish 
my  articles.  I  have,  therefore,  collected  them  into 
one  volume,  and  trust  that  the  now  largely  increas- 
ing class  of  "  Sportsmen  Naturalists"  will  derive 
benefit  and  amusement  from  my  stories  and  adven- 
tures with  "  Gun,  Rod,  and  Saddle." 


CONTENTS 


PAOB 

"Wolf  Ooijesixg 11 

Shaeks  Jdmpixg  at  Food 18 

Seal  Peeserve 21 

Oyster  Culture 23 

American  Partridge  {Ortex  Virginiensis) 27 

Aquatic  Hare 3=2 

Salmon  in  Japan  {Salmo  Salar) 33 

"Wild-fowl  Shooting  in  America 41 


8  CONTENTS. 

PACK 

SnooTixa  in  Barbaey 45 

The  Stkiped  Bass 48 

SnooTiXG  IN  CiiixA 53 

DuoK  Shooting  in  America 61 

Ruffed  Grouse  {Tetrao  Umhellus) 66 

Gun  for  General  Foreign  Shooting .-. T4 

Chinese  Oysters 76 

CuTTLE-FlSH T9 

The  Snipe  of  America  {Scolopax  Wilsonii) 82 

A  Big  Buce: 89 

Black  Bass 96 

Hints  to  Young  Anglers 103 

The  American  Thorough-bred , 104 

Uow  to  Capture  Gray  Mullet 115 

The  Pinnated  Grouse  {Tetrao  Gupido) 118 

Fishing  at  Gibraltar 125 


CONTENTS.  9 

PAGE 

SpoETixa  Eemixiscexses 129 

FlSrilXG    OFF   THE    CaPE    OF    GooD    HoPE 134 

A  Beap.  Adventure 138 

FisnixG  IX  Maixe — CriAU  or  Trout 142 

AxiMAL  Life 155 

Straxge  Fishes 160 

BucK-SnoT 164 

The  A:srERicAN  Trottixg-  Horse 167 

HixTS  ox   Siiootixg 187 

A  Chixese  Mode  of  Fisiiixg 194 

American  Ruffed  Grouse  axd  Partridge 196 

The  Power  of  a  Shark's  Jaw 201 

Black  Bass  axd  Muskalloxge  Fishing 205 

Liftixg  the  Traps 213 

Strange  Fish 220 

Buffalo  Plalns 222 


10  CONTENTS. 

PAGB 

RENcorxTER  WITH  A  Beae 225 

Ideas  ox  Fly-Fishing 232 

Steoxg  SnooTiXG 252 

Ideas  ox  Dog-Breakixg 254 

Wilderness  Life 269 


GUN,  ROD,  AND  SADDLE. 


WOLF    OOUESI]SrG. 

Few  of  us  have  not  experienced  the  excitement 
of  a  gallop  over  a  good  grass  country,  with  the 
spotted  beauties  leading  the  way,  getting  over  the 
ground  at  racing  pace,  while  your  mount  is  nearly 
hauling  you  out  of  the  saddle  with  enthusiasm  and 
inclination  to  make  himself  on  still  more  familiar 
terms  with  the  pack.  By  Jove,  how  reckless  such 
excitement  makes  you  feel!  Fear  is  banished  for 
the  time  being — all  sense  of  danger  is  dispelled  to 
the  winds,  and  sooner  than  be  thrown  out,  you 
would  ride  at  a  canal,  or  charge  any  height  of 
timber.  You  may  be  old — yet  for  the  time  feel 
young:  you  may  be  blase — you  feel  as  buoyant  as 
when  you  made  your  debut.  But  it  is  far  from 
the  grass  counties,  across  three  thousand  miles  of 
water  and  fifteen  hundred  of  land — far  beyond  the 


12  GU:^,   ROD,    AND   SADDLE. 

giaut  Mississippi,  to  the  illimitable  prairies  of  the 
Far  West  I  wish  you  to  travel,  in  thought,  at 
least.  Imagine  an  unbounded  expanse  of  undulat- 
ing land,  covered  with  grass;  here  and  there  a 
S2')arse  scattering  of  brush,  with,  perhaps,  one  or 
two  lines  of  timber  that  mark  the  margin  of  some 
tributaries  of  some  mighty  river,  and  you  have 
the  landscape  without  entering  into  detail.  What 
a  place  for  a  gallop !  what  a  place  for  a  buftalo 
run,  or  any  other  kind  of  run  that  will  give  your 
mettlesome  nag  an  opportunity  of  showing  his 
pluck  and  endurance.  But  take  care,  don't  ride 
with  a  slack  rein,  keep  your  eyes  open;  all  may 
look  plain  sailing  from  the  distance,  but  on  closer 
inspection  you  may  come  upon  a  densely  populated 
dog-town,  or  collection  of  cayotte  earths,  each  hole 
of  which  is  big  enough  to  use  a  Newfoundland  in 
for  a  fox-terrier. 

Two  varieties  of  wolves  are  found  numerous 
all  over  this  elysium ;  game  is  abundant,  and  the 
marauder  is  always  on  its  track  looking  out  for 
the  feeble  or  unfortunate.  Skulking  scoundrels  are 
these  members  of  the  canine  fraternity,  and  cunning 
withal;  keen  and  successful  hunters  if  necessary, 
but    addicted   to    idleness;    for    if  they  can    obtain 


WOLF    COURSINa.  13 

their  dinner  at  otliers'  expense,  they  are  always 
ready  to  sacrifice  their  principle,  and  sponge  npon 
the  first  acquaintance.  If  you  go  out  for  pleasure, 
or  with  the  desire  of  replenishing  your  larder,  you 
are  certain  to  be  attended ;  you  can  not  get  away 
from  camp  without  their  watchful  eyes  detecting 
you.  As  you  rise  one  knoll  you  may  observe  the 
escort  topping  the  last,  and  intently  keeping  all 
your  movements  under  their  observation.  Full  well 
do  they  know  that  if  buffalo  or  deer  fall  before  your 
rifle,  on  tlie  refuse  that  you  reject,  tliey  will  find 
a  bounteous  repast ;  or  if  your  hands  and  eyes  for- 
get their  cunning,  and  a  wourided  unfortunate  goes 
off,  then  the  chances  are  that  the  whole  carcass  will 
fall  to  their  share,  and  a  gorgeous  feast  on  tidbits 
ensue,  for  master  Lupus  has  wonderful  scenting 
powers,  and,  Vv'ith  the  trail  spiced  with  blood,  he 
grudges  no  amount  of  exertion. 

Again,  tlie  wolf  is  always  in  disgrace ;  he  steals 
your  game  if  deserted  for  a  few  hours  to  procure 
assistance  to  transport  it  to  camp  ;  he  eats  your 
lariat  ropes,  untying  your  animals,  nibbles  the  flaps 
of  your  saddles,  and  keeps  up  an  uneartlily  serenade 
through  those  hours  that  the  tired  sportsman  is 
most   disposed   to  rest  in.     Is  it   any  wonder  that 


14  GUN,    ROD,    AND    SADDLE. 

he  is  unpopular,  that  lie  has  no  friends,  and  that  he 
is  considered  a  vermin  of  the  first  magnitude  ?  The 
American  wolf,  although  divided  into  many  families, 
those  we  have  to  do  with  are  the  large  gray  species, 
and  the  cayote  or  prairie  variety,  the  former  of 
whom  is  a  large,  ill-looking  savage,  the  latter  less 
repulsive,  seldom  over  twenty-three  inches  at  tlie 
shoulder,  vrith  more  of  the  dog  in  his  physiognomy, 
and  a  good  deal  of  the  fox  in  his  nature.  In  all 
shooting  excursions  you  will  have  idle  days,  a  lay 
off  for  the  more  seiious  duties  of  the  morrow,  when 
guns  are  cleaned,,  bullets  cast,  powder  flasks  re- 
plenished, and  wet  Or  dirty  clothes  dried  or  washed. 
The  forenoon  having  sufficed  to  perform  these  labors, 
a  run  witli  a  wolf  will  be  found  not  a  bad  appetizer 
for  your  evening  meal,  or  remover  of  your  little 
gtilTnesses  and  ailments,  in  the  same  way  as  a  little 
exercise  is  necessary  to  the  hunter  the  day  after  a 
long  or  hard  run.  To  enjoy  this  pleasure  to  perfec- 
tion you  must  be  provided  with  dogs,  and  there  are 
none  so  suitable  as  the  strongest  stamp  of  grey- 
liounds ;  more  powerful  ones  that  are  addicted  to 
grappling  with  the  foe  will  get  fearfully  mauled,  for 
the  jaws  of  a  wolf  are  almost  as  powerful  as  a 
hyena's,  and    consequently  your   limitedi    establish- 


WOLF   COUESIXG.  15 

inent  would  be  half  the  time  on  the  sick  list ;  with 
the  greyhound  it  is  different.  As  soon  as  you  get  a 
view,  at  him  they  go,  and  although  the  game  is 
swift,  still  his  adversaries  are  not  long  in  ranging 
alongside,  when  a  snap  in  the  hams  or  loins  imme- 
diately brings  him  to  bay.  Determined  and  numer- 
ous are  his  efforts  to  catch  the  nimble  antagonists, 
who  take  precious  good  care  to  keep  beyond  reach. 
After  a  few  moments  of  such  skirmishino-  the  closer 
approach  of  the  sportsman  admonishes  the  wolf  to 
be  moving,  and  off  he  goes,  best  foot  foremost ;  but 
his  persecutors  are  in  attendance.  A  hundred  or  two 
yards  may  be  traversed,  and  again  he  is  brought 
up  standing  from  a  similar  cause ;  thus  the  game  is 
played  till  the  wolf  is  exhausted,  and  the  sportsman 
gets  sufficiently  close  to  end  the  episode  by  a  well- 
directed  pistol-bullet  through  the  grizzly  marauder's 
cranium. 

Spearing  the  wolf  on  horseback  is  also  capital 
sport ;  but  it  takes  a  great  deal  out  of  your  nag, 
for  the  scoundrel,  while  fresh,  will  double  almost  as 
sharj^ly  as  a  hare,  and  from  his  wonderful  lasting 
powers  takes  you  over  an  immense  distance,  he 
invariably  choosing  the  rougliest  ground.  In  this 
mode,  also,  you  must  constantly  be  on  the  qui  vive, 


16  GUN,    ROD,    AND    SADDLE. 

for  if  opportunity  offers  he  will  make  either  your 
liorse  or  yourself  acquainted  with  his  grinders,  and 
a  sna])  from  him  will  be  a  memento.  In  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Fort  RiJoy  an  accident  of  this  kind 
almost  occurred  to  me.  A  large  gray  wolf  jumped 
up  before  me,  and  as  my  horse  was  fresh,  and  the 
afternoon  cool,  I  made  up  my  mind  for  a  run. 
Drawing  my  revolver,  and  taking  my  nag  in  hand, 
we  were  soon  skimming  the  prairie  at  a  slashing 
pace.  After  a  mile  of  this  work,  I  ranged  along- 
side, but  on  several  occasions,  when  about  to  press 
the  trigger,  the  wolf  wheeled  sharply  to  the  right  or 
left,  once  very  nearly  throwing  my  nag  on  his  head. 
More  determined  to  draw  blood  from  the  trick  prac- 
tised on  me,  I  was  soon  again  at  his  tail ;  but  the  foe 
tried  a  new  and  quite  unexpected  ruse,  viz.,  sud- 
denly slackening  his  pace,  and  as  I  overshot  him, 
making  a  most  wicked  snap  at  my  off  foot,  which 
fortunately  was  protected  by  a  heavy  cowhide  boot ; 
but  the  indentation  showed  that  a  lighter  foot  cover* 
ing  would  have  caused  me  to  regret  my  prowess. 

If  ever  you  visit  the  "Western  Prairies  you  will  not 
regret  the  trouble  of  taking  with  you  some  good 
strong  greyhounds;  the  rough  Scotch  dog  I  should 
prefer,  for  you  will  not  only  find  them  great  promoters 


WOLF   COUESIN-a.  17 

of  your  sport,  wolf-hunting,  but  useful  auxiliaries  in 
pulling  down  wounded  deer,  as  well  as  most  watch- 
ful and  trustworthy  camj^  guardians  and  compan- 
ions. 


IS  GUN,    EOD,    AND   SADDLE. 


SHAEKS   JUMPmG   AT   FOOD. 

In  "  Land  and  Water,"  a  correspondent  who  has 
been  yachting  dnring  the  summer,  mentions  tlie 
circumstance  of  a  leg  of  mutton  being  lost  which 
was  hung  over  the  side,  and  two  blue  sharks  after- 
ward making  their  appearance ;  doubtless  they 
were  there  before  the  meat  disappeared,  and  had  an 
active  part  in  its  disappearance.  When  cruising  in 
the  fore-and-aft  schooner  "  Sunny  South,"  on  the  Mos- 
quito Coast,  a  few  years  since,  the  steward  hung  a 
roast  of  beef  from  one  of  the  stern  windows,  and  to 
his  annoyance  it  was  7ion  est  in  the  morning.  The 
weather  at  the  time  was  very  calm,  and  it  was  con- 
sequently supposed  that  some  forecastle  hands  had 
got  down  in  the  rudder  chains  and  appropriated  it, 
although  how  it  was  to  be  cooked  without  discovery 
was  difficult  to  know.  However,  a  second  piece  was 
about  being  hung  out,  which  doubtless  was  to  be 
well  watched,  when,  as  the  piece  of  Ihie  was  about  to 
be  made  fast,   a  violent  pull  was  felt,  and  on  the 


SHARKS   JUMPING   AT   FOOD.  19 

steward  running  out  his  head  to  find  the  thief,  it 
was  found  to  be  a  shark  instead  of  a  man  ;  the  fish 
had  sprung  at  least  three  feet  from  the  water  to 
secure  his  prize.  A  friend  of  mine,  while  fishing 
with  a  deep  sea-line,  was  nearly  losing  his  hand 
through  one  of  these  blood-thirsty  prowlers  of  the 
deep.  The  fish  had  not  been  biting  rapidly,  and 
careless  from  want  of  success,  the  hand  in  which  he 
held  the  line  was  outside  the  gunwale  of  the  boat 
and  close  to  the  surface ;  fortunately,  he  happened 
to  cast  his  eye  at  the  moment  overboard,  and  just  in 
time,  for  a  shark,  seven  or  eight  feet  long,  was  close 
to  the  surface,  coming  straight  for  it.  On  examining 
the  head  of  a  shark,  it  will  be  seen  that  from  the 
position  of  the  eyes,  they  can  well  see  what  is  taking 
place  above  them,  and  in  all  instances  where  I  have 
observed  them  take  a  bait,  they  always  got  under- 
neath before  seizing,  turning  on  their  side  at  the 
moment  of  laying  hold.  I  never  previously,  till 
reading  Mr.  Buckland's  remarks,  saw  it  stated  that 
a  shark  scented  his  prey;  nevertheless,  I  have  long 
thought  so,  and  that  their  olfactory  nerves  are  of  the 
greatest  acuteness  and  use  in  directing  them  to 
where  it  is  to  be  found.  On  two  occasions,  once  in 
the  Southern  Indian  Ocean,  on  another,  off  the  north 


20 

coast  of  South  America,  near  Los  Rocas,  although 
110  sharks  had  been  seen  previously,  they  appeared 
about  the  ship  soon  after  some  of  the  most  venturous 
had  bathed.  Again,  I  was  on  board  a  vessel  be- 
calmed, within  sight  ©f  the  volcanic  rocks,  St.  Paul's 
and  New  Amsterdam.  The  captain  kindly  lent  his 
gig  to  myself  and  companions  to  procure  some  speci- 
mens of  Cape  pigeons.  Cape  hens,  and  albatross.  A 
great  number  of  birds  were  killed,  and  whether  it 
w^as  the  scent  of  blood  or  not,  I  can  not  say,  but  a 
white  shark  about  ten  feet  long  joined  us,  and 
remained  by  us  till  our  return  to  the  ship.  lie  was 
afterward  caught  by  using  a  Cape  hen  for  bait. 
On  examining  the  head  of  a  shark,  the  snout  will  be 
found  to  project  a  long  way  over  the  upper  jaw,  and 
although  there  are  no  regular  nostrils  defined,  such 
as  will  be  found  in  the  salmon  or  trout,  there  are 
a  great  number  of  minute  orifices,  doubtless  intended 
for  smelling,  and  which  duty  I  am  iuclhied  to  believe 
they  most  ably  perform. 


SEAL   PKESEllVE.  21 


SEAL    PEESEEYE. 

Novelties  are  universally  run  after,  but  wlio  will 
try  to  adopt  the  following  ?  True,  it  is  not  in  the 
power  of  many ;  still  some  have  the  facilities.  AYe 
have  deer  parks,  pheasant  covers,  grouse  moors,  and 
rabbit  warrens  ;  still  we  have  no  seal  preserve.  I 
can  fancy  I  see  Mr.  Frank  Buckland  looking  agliast 
at  the  proposal,  and  exclaiming  emphatically, 
"  What !  Give  a  home  and  protection  to  the  de- 
stroyers of  my  darling  children  Salino  salar  ? 
Such  a  proceeding  would  be  worse  tlian  sacrilege, 
and  all  the  other  abominable  crimes  known,  taken  col- 
lectively and  jumbled  up  into  one  heap."  Within 
easy  ride  of  San  Francisco,  the  capital  of  California, 
is  situated  the  Ocean  House — a  great  resort,  in  warm 
weather  and  holidays,  of  the  i:-llte  of  this  prosperous 
Pacilic  city,  for  here  at  all  times  a  fresh  breeze  can 
be  inlialed,  and,  excepting  during  a  calm,  the  grand- 
est, largest  waves  seen,  lashing  with  impetnons  fury 
the  precipitous  towering  clitis  of  a  wild,  iruu-buund 


22  GUN,    ROD,    AND    SADDLE. 

coast.  Close  to  the  Ocean  House  are  some  rocks, 
and  on  these  at  all  hours  can  be  beheld  numbers  of 
seals.  The  Legislature  of  the  State  has,  I  believe, 
passed  an  Act  for  their  protection,  and  so  well  does 
Master  Phoc?e  know  his  safety,  that  I  doubt  if  he 
would  not  dispute  possession  of  his  demesne  with 
any  representative  of  genus  homo  that  had  the  te- 
merity to  intrude.  Tlie  Californians  are  very  proud 
of  these  pets,  and  well  may  they  be,  for  they  form 
a  strange  and  most  interesting  picture,  reclining  in 
all  attitudes,  young  and  old,  big  and  little,  free 
from  fear  and  happy  in  their  security.  Many  of 
them  have  been  named  from  some  fancied  resem- 
blance to  persons.  One,  the  king  in  stature,  and 
most  savage  and  repulsive  in  physiognomy,  bears 
the  sobriquet  of  Benjamin  Butler,  of  Xew  Orleans 
notoriet3^  An  old  resident  informed  me  that  he 
remembers  this  veteran  seal  for  years,  and  tliat  his 
countenance  was  a  good  index  of  his  temper.  At 
night,  from  the  Ocean  House,  you  can  constantly 
hear  them  bellowing,  and  old  Butler^s  voice,  from  its 
depth  and  volume,  is  easily  distinguished  from  tlie 
others.  I  expect  that  San  Francisco  for  many  years 
to  come  will  be  the  only  city  that  possesses  a  pre- 
serve (A  pet  seals. 


OYSTEE   CULTOBB.  23 


OYSTEE    CULTUEE. 

With  much  pleasure,  both  in  thelJiiited  States  and 
in  England  since  my  return,  I  have  read  a  number 
of  most  interesting  communications  from  Mr,  Frank 
Buckland,  H.  B.  M.  Commissioner  of  Fisheries, 
and  others  in  reference  to  oyster  culture.  It  has 
long  struck  me  that  not  nearly  enough  attention  was 
23aid  by  my  fellow-countrymen  to  this  unbounded 
field  of  operations  and  wealth,  and  if  they  still  con- 
tinue to  neglect  their  opportunities  after  the  ability 
and  energy  with  which  the  columns  of  "  Land  and 
Water  "  have  pointed  out  the  means  of  prosecuting 
the  good  work,  let  the  onus  lay  on  their  own  shoulders, 
for  truly  they  deserve  it.  It  is  a  well-known  adage, 
"  that  one  man  can  take  a  horse  to  water,  but  an  un- 
limited number  can  not  make  him  drink ;"  the  horse 
might  not  be  thirsty,  and  there  are  excuses  for  his 
refusal.  But  dear  Old  England,  with  her  immense 
population,  is  always  hungry,  and  has  always  mouths 
to  feed,  and  I  feel  certain  that  with  the  amount  of 


24  GUX,    ROD,    AND    SADDLE. 

admiraljle  coast  that  our  island-home  has,  this  de- 
scription of  food,  which  is  both  wholesome  and  nutri- 
tious, could  with  due  attention  become  so  cheap  that 
it  would  be  within  the  reach  of  both  rich  and  poor. 
I  do  not  for  a  moment  profess  to  an  excess  of 
knowledge ;  but  while  sojourning  in  Xorth  America, 
where  oyster  culture  has  been  studied  and  practically 
tested  for  many  years,  the  experience  of  some  of  the 
most  capable  persons  in  various  sections  of  that 
country  I  learned,  and  they  unanimously  agreed  with 
what  I  have  so  lately  seen  stated  in  your  columns, 
that  a  warm  summer  is  the  great  desideratum  for  a 
productive  deposit  of  spat.  In  fact,  I  can  see  no 
other  feasil)le  reasons  to  be  advanced  by  our  trans- 
atlantic cousins  for  their  well-known  success  than 
that  the  warm  waters  of  the  Gulf  Stream  run  along 
their  coast,  and  that  they  have  intense,  almost  trd^- 
ical,  heat  in  summer — such,  in  fact,  as  we  have  had 
during  the  past  season. 

Your  accounts  unanimously  agree  that  your  de- 
posits of  spat  have  been  most  abundant  this  year ; 
but  if  the  heat  should  be  less  the  coming  one,  and 
should  the  j^roduce  only  be  one-half,  I  am  still  con- 
vinced that  the  returns  would  be  far  more  than 
sufiicient   to   iudemnil'y   the   outlay;   however,   if    a 


OYSTER   CULTURE.  25 

difference  of  opinion  should  exist,  the  experiment  is 
worth  trying,  which,  if  successful,  forget  not  to  give 
the  praise  to  whom  it  is  due.  Of  course  a  great 
number  of  our  fellow-countrymen  know  the  United 
States  ;  some  of  those  may  have  taken  interest  in  this 
subject,  and  possibly  are  better  informed  than  I  am  ; 
still  tliere  must  be  a  great  mass  that  know  nothing 
about  the  American  oyster;  to  those,  then,  I  will 
giv^e  the  benefit  of  my  experience.  From  Massachu- 
setts to  Florida,  with  more  or  less  abundance,  oyster 
fisheries  have  been  established,  not  only  for  dredging, 
but  for  cultivating.  The  result  is,  that  this  delicacy 
can  be  obtained  at  moderate  charges  even  in  the  in- 
terior towns  and  cities,  such  as  St,  Louis  and  Chica- 
go ;  in  fact,  there  is  scarcely  a  respectable  taMe  cVhotQ 
eastward  of  the  Mississippi,  on  whose  bill  of  fire  they 
are  not  to  be  found.  In  the  Dominion,  where  the 
winters  are  proverbially  severe,  they  are  equally 
abundant ;  Xew  Brunswick,  Kova  Scotia,  Prince 
Edward  Island,  and  the  estuary  of  the  St.  Lawrence, 
have  long  proved  themselves  prolific  in  this  respect; 
corroborative  of  the  fact  that  if  you  can  get  heat, 
such  as  Vve  annually  have,  it  does  not  matter  how 
severe  the  winter  may  prove,  for  the  abundant  repro- 
duction of  these  bivalves. 


26  GUN,    ROD,    AND    SADDLE. 

It  has  struck  me  that  the  American  oyster  may  be 
of  a  different  sj^ecies  from  the  English  ;  tlie  shape  is 
not  the  same,  and  the  flavor  (possibly  many  will 
say  this  is  prejudice)  I  think,  if  possible,  finer.  If 
they  are,  could  not  the  home-bred  species  be  bene- 
fited by  introducing  the  stranger?  Experiment 
would  soon  elucidate  this,  for  the  American,  if  packed 
with  the  hollow  side  of  the  shell  down,  in  solid  masses, 
can  be  kept  alive  for  months ;  in  fact  I  have  been 
shown  them  thus  stowed  away  in  cellars,  when  they 
had  been  built  in  over  ten  weeks  ;  what,  then,  would 
a  voyage  of  ten  days,  under  such  circumstances,  sig- 
nify ?  The  motion  of  the  vessel  might  shake  out 
some  of  their  moisture  (on  which  they  subsist),  but 
certainly  not  all. 

The  pinna  fisheries  of  the  Mediterranean  some 
years  ago  used  to  be  most  abundant ;  from  want  of 
culture  and  the  improvements  in  dredging  machineiy, 
it  has  lately  sadly  deteriorated,  almost  to  nil.  In 
enlightened  England  don't  let  us  follow  the  example 
of  the  improvident  natives  of  Southern  Europe,  who, 
so  long  as  they  can  obtain  the  dinner  of  the  day,  care 
not  and  think  not  where  to-morrow's  is  to  come 
from. 


AMERICAN   PARTEIDGE.  27 


AMEEICAE"   PAETEIDGE. 

(ORTEX  VIRGINIENSIS.) 

If  all  our  countrymen  who  have  traveled  abroad 
or  sojourned  in  foreign  lands  had  done  so  with  their 
eyes  shut,  or  if  not  keeping  their  orbits  closed  had 
refused  to  give  their  countrymen  the  benefit  of  their 
experience,  a  useless  lot  they  would  have  been,  and 
England,  as  far  as  progression  is  concerned,  would 
have  been  far  behind  her  present  advanced  position. 
He  who  first  introduced  the  idea  of  crossing  our 
native  horse  with  the  foreigner,  did  an  immense 
public  service ;  he  who  introduced  the  old  Spanish 
pointer,  deserves  the  gratitude  of  every  sportsman, 
for  doubtless  our  present  beauties,  with  all  their 
speed  and  sagacity,  have  much  of  the  blear-eyed, 
bad-tempered,  pottering  old  scoundrels'  blood  in 
their  veins ;  and  still  further,  to  foreign  climes  we 
t]-ace  the  pheasant,  the  turkey,  and  so  many  more 
valuable  animals,  that  to  enumerate  them  would  be 


28 

tedious.  However,  I  believe  that  there  are  quad- 
rupeds, birds,  and  fishes,  still  strangers  to  our  land, 
who  but  require  to  be  known  to  be  appreciated ;  and 
by  placing  the  merits  of  any  of  them  before  the 
public,  some  one  may  be  found  sufficiently  patriotic 
to  make  the  attempt  to  naturalize  them. 

Without  more  preamble,  and  to  come  at  once  to 
the  point,  let  me  say  that  in  my  humble  opinion  there 
is  no  bird  more  Avorthy  of  attention,  and  more  deserv- 
ing of  the  honor  of  introduction  to  our  preserves,  than 
the  Virginian  partridge,  often  misnamed  in  America 
quail.  His  numerous  good  qualities,  together  with 
his  description,  I  will  to  the  best  of  my  knowledge 
give,  hoping  it  may  be  the  means  of  yet  seeing  this 
little  beauty  ornamenting  our  fields,  and  adding 
brilliancy  and  variety  to  the  game-bags  of  our  nu- 
merous enthusiastic  sportsmen.  The  American  par- 
tridge A'aries  in  weight  from  eight  to  ten  ounces, 
is  erect  in  his  walk,  very  handsome  in  jilumage, 
strong  upon  the  wing,  feeds  principally  upon  grain, 
grass-seed,  and  ants,  frequents  indifferently  brush, 
timber,  or  open  country,  is  capable  of  standing  great 
cold,  is  not  (piarrelsome  with  other  game,  is  very 
])rc>lific,  frequently  hatching  two  broods  in  a  season 
Moreover,  an  advantage  which  cannot  be  too  highly 


AMEEICAN    PARTKIDGE.  29 

estimated,  is  that  it  never  gets  so  wild  as  to  rise  so 
far  from  your  dogs  as  to  be  out  of  gun-shot,  a  nui- 
sance that  all  are  so  well  aware  of  in  our  home-bred 
bird  toward  the  end  of  the  season.  In  fact,  who 
that  shoots  regularly  can  not  remember  instances  of 
our  partridge  disappearing  over  the  far  side  of  a 
field  as  soon  as  the  sportsman  had  entered  it  ?  Xow, 
in  years  of  experience  in  America,  I  never  saw  an 
instance  of  this  kind ;  up  to  the  commencement  of 
the  close  season  they  would  remain  almost  as  tame 
as  they  were  at  the  termination  of  the  previous  one. 
A  reason  for  this  may  be  that  they  seldom  pack ; 
only  once  or  twice  have  I  seen  more  than  the  usual 
nnjnber  of  a  covey  together,  and  then  remarked  that 
the  weather  had  been  unusually  severe  and  stormy. 

A  peculiarity,  however,  this  bird  possesses  is  that 
in  wet  and  slushy  weather  he  will  frequently,  when 
disturbed,  take  shelter  on  the  limbs  of  trees,  from 
where,  if  flushed,  they  aflbrd  the  hardest  possible 
shots.  This  bird  in  the  open  is  by  no  means  easy  to 
hit,  for  his  flight  is  very  strong  and  swift,  and  fre- 
quently irregular,  but  he  does  not  go  far,  so  that  a 
o-ood  marker  seldom  has  much  trouble  to  refind  him. 
Some  persons  are  under  the  impression  that  this 
partridge  is  migratory ;  however,  this  is  a  mistake, 


30  GUN,    ROD,    AND   SADDLE. 

for  although  they  may  wander  from  tlieir  breeding 
place,  from  constant  attention,  I  am  convinced  that 
the  change  of  quarters  is  caused  from  scarcity  of 
food.  On  the  edges  of  the  dry  prairies  in  south- 
ern Illinois,  in  early  autumn,  this  bird  abounds ;  in 
winter  they  disappear  into  the  neighboring  thickets 
and  brush,  for  why  ?  the  prairies  are  constantly 
burned  at  the  end  of  the  season,  and  consequently 
starvation  or  change  of  residence  is  their  alterna- 
tives. In  one  section  of  the  country  that  I  resided 
in,  a  great  portion  of  the  prairie  land  was  too  wet  to 
burn,  and  many  a  heavy  bag  I  obtained  late  in  the 
season,  even  when  the  roots  of  the  grass  were  sub- 
merged in  ice.  My  dogs,  which  I  invariably  br<jjie 
upon  them,  seldom  made  mistakes,  and  never  do  I 
remember  a  covey  departing  (except  the  pointer  or 
setter  had  run  into  them  coming  down  wind)  with- 
out getting  at  least  a  barrel  into  them.  I  believe 
these  birds  are  equally  adapted  for  naturalization 
into  either  England,  Scotland,  or  Ireland,  and  with 
other  varieties  of  game  they  appear  to  agree  well, 
for  I  have  on  several  occasions  killed  this  partridge 
with  one  barrel,  and  the  ruffed  grouse  with  the  other 
over  the  same  point. 

As  a  table  delicacy  I  know  no  greater ;  for  weeks 


AMERICAi^   PARTEIDGE.  31 

I  liave  constantly  had  them  at  both  breakfast  and 
dinner,  still  without  becoming  satiated,  and  there 
are  very  few  varieties  of  game  could  stand  a  more 
severe  test.  Their  note  or  call  is  remarkably  melo- 
dious, and  in  the  spring  or  pairing  time,  when  they 
are  numerous,  you  can  hear  their  sweet  voice  all  day 
long,  and  in  every  direction.  I  have  always  regret- 
ted that  no  one  has  thought  of  introducing  this  little 
stranger,  and  nothing  could  afford  me  greater  pleas- 
ure than  to  be  the  medium,  for  I  feel  perfectly  con- 
fident that   neither   would   ever   have  occasion  for 


52  GXW,   EOD,   AKD   SADDLE. 


AQUATIC    HAEE. 

In  one  of  your  late  mimbers  allusion  is  made  to  a 
tailless  hare.  Of  course,  any  new  or  but  slightly 
known  animals,  their  habits  and  modes  of  life,  are 
subjects  of  great  interest  to  both  the  naturalist  and 
the  sportsman;  permit  me,  therefore,  to  call  your 
attention  to  an  aquatic  member  of  the  Lepus  family, 
with  whom  I  became  acquainted  during  my  sojourn 
in  Xorth  America.  A  little  before  sunset,  on  a  fine 
calm  evening  in  March,  I  took  ray  stand  upon  a 
bridge  crossing  a  slough  in  the  southern  portion  of 
Illinois,  with  the  hope  of  killing  a  few  wild  ducks. 
The  atmosphere  w^as  so  clear  and  still  that  the  birds 
were  very  late  in  visiting  their  feeding  grounds. 
While  impatiently  trying  to  kill  time,  I  saw  some- 
thing swimming  in  the  water,  and  supposing  it  to  be 
a  common  American  musk-rat,  and  being  desirous 
of  a  new  tobacco  pouch,  I  stealthily  stole  along  the 
margin  of  the  water,  well  hid  in  the  flags,  to 
endeavor  to  obtain  a  closer  shot,  for  the  musk-rat 


AQUATIC    HARE.  33 

requires  a  tremendous  deal  of  killing.  However, 
having  knocked  over  ray  game,  in  a  few  minutes  my 
retriever  laid  it  at  my  feet ;  but  imagine  my  surprise 
when,  instead  of  a  rat,  I  found  it  to  be  a  hare.  I 
could  scarcely  believe  my  senses,  but  seeing  is 
believing.  Of  course,  I  thought  that  the  poor 
creature  had  been  driven  to  water  to  avoid  a  foe ; 
but  before  many  days  I  shot  several,  and  all  in 
similar  situations.  The  habits  of  this  new  variety 
I  now  made  a  study,  and  found  that  they  were 
a,mphibious,  sleeping  in  form  on  the  edge  of  the 
morass  during  the  heat  of  the  day,  and  feeding, 
before  sunrise  and  after  sunset,  on  the  different 
descriptions  of  water  plants.  AYhether  this  hare 
was  able  to  dive  or  not  I  did  not  ascertain,  but  that 
he  is  a  most  expert  swimmer  there  can  be  no  doubt. 
His  size  is  the  same  as  that  of  our  common  wild 
rabbit,  but  from  his  build  being  thicker  he  may 
possibly  be  heavier.  His  legs  are  short,  feet  large, 
ears  small,  and  head  very  full  and  round;  color 
dark-grayish  brown,  with  scarcely  any  white  upon 
the  scut,  and  the  fur  exceedingly  soft  and  fine.  I 
frequently  tested  his  qualities  on  the  table,  and  can 
speak  in  the  highest  approval  of  the  delicacy  and 
delicious  flavor  of  his  flesh,  which  is  much  lighter  in 

2* 


34  GUN,   HOD,    AND    SADDLE. 

shade  tlian  that  of  any  other  of  the  same  family  with 
whom  I  am  acquainted.  The  skin,  whicli  is  very 
thin,  is  easily  removed  from  the  carcase ;  but  great 
care  must  be  taken  to  prevent  it  getting  torn.  On 
inquiring,  I  found  that  this  hare  was  well  known  by 
the  squatters,  and  from  them  learned  that  it  bred 
only  once  a  year,  generally  producing  two  at  a 
birth;  and  that  the  young  at  a  very  early  age 
follow  their  mother  in  her  sundry  aquatic  excursions 
in  search  of  the  delicate  water  plants  that  form  their 
staple  food. 


SALMON   IN   JAPAN.  35 


SALMOIS"   IN   JAPAN. 

(SALMO   SALAR.) 

No  person,  I  am  certain  no  gentleman,  ever 
disputes  the  nobility  of  the  salmon ;  he  is  an 
universal  favorite  Avith  all,  whether  they  be  disciples 
of  Isaac  Walton  or  believers  in  Dr.  Johnson's 
interpretation  of  the  word  "fisherman,"  As  this 
noble  fish  is  so  universally  popular,  it  may  not  be 
without  interest  to  many  of  the  readers  of  "  Gun, 
Rod,  and  Saddle,"  to  know  that  he  is  more  univer- 
sally scattered  over  this  world  than  is  generally 
supposed,  and  that  he  is  a  highly  appreciated  article 
of  food,  and  of  great  commercial  value,  in  countries 
so  far  distant  from  our  island  home  that  we  may 
almost  with  safety  call  him  a  cosmopolitan  of  the 
northern  hemisphere. 

That  the  salmon  was  found  in  abundance  in  all 
rivers  in  America,  from  the  Hudson  Kiver,  New 
York,  northward,  all  probably  are  aware  j  that  he 


36 

is  extremely  numerous  in  those  rivers  that  flow 
nortli  through  tlie  Hudson  Bay  territory,  into  the 
ice-bound  Arctic  seas,  less  are  cognizant;  l)ut  that 
he  perfectly  swarms  in  the  streams  and  estuaries  of 
the  North  Pacific  Ocean,  many,  I  am  certain,  are 
ignorant.  Yet  he  does  swarm  in  those  distant 
waters,  until  lately  only  known  to  whalers  and 
fur  traders,  in  such  countless  multitudes,  that  their 
arrival  is  looked  forward  to  from  season  to  season 
as  the  great  event  of  the  year — for  with  his  coming, 
privations  from  hunger  tenninate,  and  an  abundance 
of  nutritious  food  is  not  only  temporarily  secured, 
but  a  hoard  laid  up  sufticient  to  last  through  the 
protracted  term  of  a  rigorous  northern  winter. 

When  traveling  in  Japan,  what  was  my  delight 
to  hear  that  salmon  were  numerous  in  these  favored 
islands!  Naturally  I  looked  forward  with  avidity 
to  the  hope  that  I  might  be  so  situated  as  to  obtain 
a  day's  fishing  on  the  margin  of  one  of  its  distant 
rivers;  however,  in  this  I  was  disappointed,  but 
nevertheless  had  the  fortune  to  make  acquaintance 
with  an  intelligent  Japanese  merchant,  who  not  only 
showed  me  numerous  specimens  of  the  genuine 
Salmo  salar,  but  gave  me  abundant  information 
regarding  their  habits,  and  the  method  there  pursued 


SALMON   IN   JAPAN.  37 

for  their  capture.  From  observation,  inquiry,  and 
research,  I  am  inclined  to  believe  that  the  salmon, 
whether  in  the  Atlantic  or  Pacific,  seldom  approaches 
nearer  the  Equator  than  the  forty-first  or  forty- 
second  degree  of  north  latitude.  On  the  Atlantic 
sea-board  of  the  State  of  New  York,  the  Hudson 
River  formerly  was  his  southern  limit ;  bat  alas,  that 
stream  is  now  totally  deserted  by  these  valuable 
visitors,  the  result  of  weirs,  or  the  indiscriminate 
pollution  of  the  stream  with  the  debris  of  saw-mills, 
chemical  filth  from  manufactories,  &g.  On  the 
eastern  shores  of  the  Pacific  the  same  parallel  will 
be  found  the  southern  boundary  of  this  fisli ;  while 
on  the  coast  of  Japan,  Tartary,  and  Siberia,  Iiis 
haunts  are  marked  by  the  same  line  of  demarkation. 
From  the  exclusive  laws  of  the  Japanese  Govern- 
ment, I  was  unable  to  travel  farther  to  the  north 
than  Yeddo,  excej^t  it  Avere  to  visit  the  port  of 
Hakodadi,  and  consequently  was  prevented  from 
obtaining  a  personal  knowledge  of  the  homes  and 
resorts  of  the  salmon ;  for  although  they  are  brought 
in  immense  numbers  into  the  latter  town  for  sale, 
they  are  not  captured  in  the  immediate  vicinity. 
The  Japanese  salmon  that  I  examined  resembled 
more   those  on   the   Tay,   in   Scotland,   from  their 


oS  GUN,    ROD,    AND    SADDLE. 

excessive  depth  and  thickness  in  proportion  to  their 
length.  Their  average  weight  appeared  to  be  about 
twelve  or  fourteen  pounds,  yet  several  I  saw  would 
have  turned  the  scales  at  thirty.  The  color  of  the 
skin  was  in  all  less  brilliant  than  in  our  home 
acquaintances,  possibly  the  result  of  transportation, 
the  method  of  curing,  or  the  shade  and  consistency 
of  the  water  out  of  which  they  had  been  taken. 
However,  the  flesh  was  undeniably  excellent,  and 
brilliant  in  hue,  and  in  no  way  inferior  to  those 
from  our  most  appreciated  rivers. 

From  my  informant  I  found  that  the  habits  of 
their  fish  were  identical  with  ours,  and  that  so  great 
were  their  numbers  that  they  formed  the  staple 
article  of  food  for  the  poorer  residents  of  the 
northern  portion  of  the  Japanese  archipelago ;  that 
they  were  captured  principally  by  stake  nets,  set 
in  the  fluvial  portion  of  the  rivers;  and  that  the 
English  method  of  taking  them  with  a  fly  (which  I 
explained)  was  entirely  unknown.  .  As  I  could  not 
have  the  honor  of  being  the  first  of  my  country- 
men to  capture  a  Japanese  salmon  in  the  legitimate 
sportsman's  method,  I  may  have  had  the  honor  of 
tying  the  first  artificial  flies  that  ever  were  cast  on  a 
Japanese  river;  for  so  interested  Avas  my  listener — 


SALMON   IN   JAPAN.  39 

and  the  Japanese  are  wonderfully  intelligent,  totally 
the  reverse  of  the  self-conceited,  pig-headed  China- 
man— that  I  dressed  a  couple  of  what  I  considered 
"the  most  killing  specimens,  and  which  he  promised 
to  use,  as  instructed,  on  the  first  available  oppor- 
tunity. 

An  intelligent  Russian  officer  whom  I  some 
months  afterward  met  at  Tien-tsing,  in  Northern 
China,  and  who  had  been  for  years  stationed  on 
the  Pacific,  gave  me  the  most  glowing  account  of  the 
immense  quantities  of  salmon  that  frequented  the 
Amoor  River  and  its  tributaries,  and  his  information 
perfectly  tallied  with  that  obtained  from  my  Japanese 
friend.  Now  the  mouth  of  this  river,  and  the  north- 
ern portion  of  the  Japan  group  of  islands,  are  in 
about  the  same  latitude,  and  are  only  separated  by 
about  three  or  four  hundred  miles  of  sea,  showing 
that  most  perfect  credence  might  be  given  to  both 
informants. 

Fifty  years  ago,  who  would  have  thought  of 
Englishmen  going  to  Norway  to  fish  ?  Possibly,  as 
the  world  grows  older,  with  the  rapid  strides  of 
improvement  in  machinery  and  transportation,  we 
may  hear  of  fishing  parties  being  organized  for 
Japan  and  Siberia,  and,  in  addition  to  the  numerous 


40  GUN,    EOD,    AND    SADDLE. 

splendid  specimens  of  Salmo  salar  that  now  decorate 
Mr.  Buckland's  museum,  we  will  see  numerous 
beauties  that  once  parted  with  their  silver  sides  the 
blue  Avaters  of  the  Pacific. 


■WILD-FOWL    SHOOTING  41 


WILD-FOWL    SHOOTING. 

In  my  protracted  rambles  about  the  world,  I 
know  no  portion  w^iere  this  sport  can  be  moro 
thoroughly  enjoyed  than  in  America.  I  have  always 
been  passionately  fond  of  wild-fowl  shooting,  and  the 
bags  that  I  have  made  in  the  United  States  and 
Canada  have  far  exceeded  those  obtained  elsewhere. 
As  wild  fowl  are  nearly  all  migratory  by  inclination, 
or  are  compelled  to  be  so  from  the  changes  of  the 
seasons,  it  is  of  great  importance  that  you  should 
visit  the  various  haunts  at  the  proper  periods  of  the 
year.  However,  the  rule  is,  for  successfully  carrying 
on  war  against  the  web-footed  families,  go  north 
in  summer  and  south  in  winter.  In  June,  July, 
and  August,  the  wild-rice  fields  of  the  numerous 
labyrinth  of  lakes  of  Minnesota  and  the  north- 
west territory,  perfectly  swarm  with  wild  fowl,  while 
in  December  and  January  they  will  be  found  equally 
numerous  on  the  large  bayous  and  lagoons  that 
surround  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi.     Of  course, 


42  GUN,    ROD,    AND    SADDLE. 

in  the  intermediate  portion  of  country  between 
Minnesota  and  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  during  the 
seasons  of  migration,  splendid  days'  shooting  can 
be  obtained  ;  but  the  stay  of  the  birds  is  so  short 
that  it  would  not  compensate  for  a  special  visit. 
"Where  thousands  are  to  be  seen  to-day,  not  a  dozen 
will  be  met  to-morrow ;  but  if  you  should  happen  in 
the  spring  and  autumn  to  be  in  either  of  the  States 
of  Illinois,  Iowa,  or  Indiana,  when  the  frost  and  ice 
are  breaking  np  in  spring,  or  when  winter  makes  its 
first  appearance,  you  may  with  safety  calculate  on 
having  some  of  the  finest  sport.  A  year  or  two 
since,  when  in  Illinois  in  November,  a  sudden  change 
took  place  in  the  weather,  and  although  the  morning 
was  ushered  in  mild  and  warm,  by  noon  it  was 
snowing,  with  a  gale  of  wind  blowing  from  the 
north.  From  experience  I  knew  that  such  a  day 
was  not  to  be  wasted  over  the  fire.  I  got  on 
my  shooting-ground  with  a  very  large  supply  of 
ammunition,  and  in  two  or  three  hours  had  to  cease, 
as  my  stock  was  exhausted.  My  stand  was  in  a 
field  of  Indian  corn  that  had  been  gathered  into 
shocks,  from  the  back  of  one  of  which  I  took  shelter 
from  the  blast  as  well  as  concealment.  Never  shall 
I  forget  the  scene.     The  ducks  came  in  thousands, 


WILD-FOWL    SHOOTING.  43 

all  flying  before  the  wind,  and  if  a  dozen  guns  had 
been  there  instead  of  one,  abundant  work  would 
have  been  found  for  all.  On  another  occasion,  in 
the  same  locality,  two  friends  of  mine  killed,  in  two 
or  three  hours  in  the  evening,  and  in  an  hour  and  a 
half  the  succeeding  morning,  eighty-four  wild  geese 
and  thirty  brace  of  mallard  duck.  In  the  spring  of 
1866,  when  in  Iowa,  the  first  day  of  thaw,  I  went  for 
a  stroll,  scarcely  expecting  to  find  game ;  but  wlien 
I  got  on  the  prairie  land,  I  was  perfectly  astonished 
at  the  clouds  of  wild-foAvl  arriving  from  the  South, 
some  of  the  ponds  being  so  densely  covered  with 
duck  that  the  surface  could  scarcely  be  seen.  These 
birds  were  all  coming  from  the  South,  where  they 
had  passed  the  winter.  If  any  of  my  readers  intend 
to  go  in  for  work,  and  not  object  to  roughing  it, 
I  should  most  decidedly  say  that  the  wild-fowl 
shooting  is  good  enough  to  justify  a  Western  visit; 
but  let  him  not  be  induced  to  keep  in  the  vicinity 
of  settlements;  but  let  him  and  his  attendants 
commence  housekeeping  on  the  margin  of  one  of 
the  northern  Minnesota  lakes,  if  in  summer  (remem- 
ber one  that  produces  an  abundance  of  wild  rice) ; 
but  if  the  reverse  season  should  be  selected,  the 
southern  tributaries  of  the   Mississippi  will  afford 


44:  GUN, 

him  abundant  sport,  and  any  of  the  hospitable 
Southern  planters  will  deem  it  a  favor  if  you  Avill 
do  them  the  honor  of  making  their  home  yours. 


SHOOTING    IN   BARBARY.  45 


SHOOTII^G    IE"   BAEBAEY. 

There  are  a  great  number  of  gentlemen  in 
England  who  can  sj^are  the  time  but  not  the  money 
to  rent,  at  the  present  fabulous  prices,  shooting  at 
home.  For  the  benefit  of  such  I  will  state  that  capi- 
tal shooting  can  be  obtained  at  Tangiers,  and  that 
the  expense  of  going  and  returning,  including  a  stay 
of  a  month,  need  not  exceed  forty  pounds.  Gibral- 
tar, your  first  stopping-place,  can  be  reached  by  one 
of  the  Peninsular  and  Oriental  steamships  from 
Southampton,  or  by  one  of  the  numerous  Mediterra- 
nean steamships  sailing  from  Liverpool.  The  pas- 
sage mone}^  by  the  former,  to  go  and  return,  would 
be  about  twenty  pounds,  by  the  latter  fifteen.  From 
Gibraltar,  feluccas  almost  daily  cross  to  Tangiers — 
twice  a  week  formerly,  and  probably  still  a  steam- 
boat with  cattle  does  the  same.  The  fare  for  this 
portion  of  the  journey  should  not  exceed  a  couple  of 
dollars,  and  a  good  liotel  will  be  found  on  arrival, 
where  I  have  resided,  at  the  rate  of  one  dollar  per 


46  GIJN,    ROD,    AND    SADDLE. 

diem.  Safely  established  under  the  guardianship  of 
the  hostess,  you  can  obtain  all  desirable  information, 
and  a  guide  if  such  you  deem  necessary.  An  hour's 
ride  from  the  town,  going  inland,  will  bring  you 
upon  splendid  ground,  either  scrubby  brushwood, 
covered  slopes,  or  open  grass  and  palmetto  plains. 
The  game  principally  found  is  red-legged  partridge, 
"which,  contrary  to  our  home  experience  of  the 
same  gentleman,  here  lays  well  to  a  dog.  Hares  are 
also  plentiful,  snipe,  plover,  and  the  lesser  bustard 
not  uncommon.  Just  beyond  Cape  Spartel  there  is 
a  small  river  on  which  I  have  killed  a  great  number 
of  duck,  and  a  mile  or  two  farther  on  an  immense 
swamp,  known  by  the  name  of  "  the  Lagoona," 
where  snipe  and  wild-fowl  may  be  killed  in  abund- 
ance, as  well  as  woodcock  and  wild-boar.  As  tlie 
gates  of  Tangier  are  always  locked  at  sunset,  you 
have  to  hurry  home  at  an  inconveniently  early  hour, 
but  if  you  do  not  object  to  roughing  it,  and  prefer  a 
long  day  and  large  bag  to  the  luxury  of  a  well-aired 
bed  and  comfortable  apartment,  you  can  easily 
arrange  so  as  to  sleep  at  one  of  the  numerous  Arab 
villages  or  douars.  Of  course,  to  do  this,  you  will 
require  an  interpreter,  who  should  also  perform  both 
functions  of  cook  and  major-domo.      But  to  one  in- 


SHOOTING   IN   BARBART.  47 

convenience  you  will  have  to  submit,  viz.,  fleas. 
They  may  not  be  the  largest  in  the  world,  but  for 
numbers  and  bloodthirsty  proclivities  I  will  back 
them  against  any  others.  The  Moors  are  a  fine, 
manly,  handsome  race,  and  invariably  sportsmen. 
To  a  proficient  with  the  gun  they  soon  attach  them- 
selves. Sometimes  I  have  been  followed  for  hours 
by  some  of  them,  and  a  clever  double  shot  would 
always  elicit  their  admiration.  However,  there  are 
some  ugly  stories  in  circulation  of  shipwrecked  sailors 
and  adventurous  Europeans  having  received  any 
thing  but  a  hearty  welcome  ;  but  this  is  directly  in 
contradiction  to  my  experience,  for  day  after  day, 
alone,  I  shot  amongst  them,  and  frequently  slept  in 
their  villages  with  no  other  attendant  than  a  youth 
from  the  hotel  at  Tangiers,  and  their  conduct  was 
uniformly  kind  and  courteous.  The  weather  also  is 
delightful  in  autumn,  and  the  country  extremely 
pretty,  while  all  around  the  town  are  abundant  ob- 
jects worthy  of  a  visit  on  your  idle  days.  In  fact, 
I  have  little  hesitation  in  predicting  that  the  first 
visit  will  most  probably  not  be  the  last. 


48 


THE    STEIPED    BASS. 

This  iisli  is  knowni  the  entire  length  of  the  sea- 
board of  the  United  States,  and  is  ahnost  as  popular 
as  tlie  salmon.  There  are  many  reasons  for  this ;  he 
is  game  in  the  highest  sense  of  the  word,  fighting 
with  the  most  determined  obstinacy  as  long  as  his 
strength  will  permit,  frequents  alike  the  ocean  tide- 
way or  river,  taking  generally  with  avidity  the 
greatest  varieties  of  natural  and  artificial  baits,  and 
ultimately  being  fit  food  for  the  most  fastidious 
epicure.  By  naturalists  he  is  placed  among  the 
perch,  and  has  been  named  Perka  Lahrax,  an  indig- 
nity which  he  is  in  no  way  deserving,  for  he  is  built 
on  the  beautiful  lines  of  the  salmon,  possibly  with  a 
little  more  depth  and  beam,  and  his  coloring  has  a 
nearer  approach  to  that  of  the  lordly  Salnio  salai\  save 
tbat  horizontally  along  his  sides  are  placed  several 
lines  (generally  seven)  from  the  gills  to  the  tail,  and 
from  Avhich  he  doubtless  derives  his  familiar  name. 
Early  in  April,  if  the  weather  be  favorable,  ihii?  fish 


THE   STRIPED   BASS.  49 

makes  liis  appearance  in  the  rivers  en  route  to  their 
spawning  beds  (from  this  date  he  becomes  the  ob- 
ject of  attention  to  the  pot-hunter,  for  I  can  not  call 
the  man  who  tries  to  capture  fish  in  that  state  by 
the  name  of  fisherman),  where  he  remains  for  some 
time,  probably  over  a  couple  of  months.  This  duty 
performed,  they  return  again  to  the  coast,  afibrding 
sport  for  a  short  period,  then  disappear  to  return  in 
September  and.  October  in  immense  numbers,  glad- 
dening with  their  advent  the  heart  of  every  sports- 
man. 

Their  size  is  so  varied  that  they  may  be  taken 
from  the  vfeight  of  a  few  ounces  up  to  sixty  and 
even  more  pounds,  the  heavier  fish  generally  being 
captured  late  in  the  season;  and  woe  betide  the 
angler  if  unprepared  he  should  strike  his  hook  into 
one  of  the  leviathans,  for  all  his  fishing  parapher- 
nalia will  certainly  receive  so  severe  a  shock  as  to 
render  it  for  after  use  completely  worthless,  that  is, 
the  portion  that  is  left  with  him.  After  spawning 
this  fish  does  not  lose  its  condition  like  the  salmon, 
therefore  his  capture  immediately  subsequent  is  not 
nearly  so  reprehensible,  the  propagation  of  his 
species   not   injuring   him   to    a   noticeable   extent, 

therefore,  if  he  be  fisJied  for  in  the  rivers  after  that 
3 


50 

duty  is  performed,  nothing  is  so  attractive  for  his 
capture  as  a  gaudy  sea-trout  fly  ;  but  the  striped 
bass  is  not  dainty,  and  many  pei'sons  of  experience 
persistently  use  with  the  greatest  success  a  piece 
of  white  or  scarlet  rag  tied  over  their  hook  instead 
of  the  more  complicated  and  expensive  invention. 
Fishing  in  the  sea,  however,  the  shrimp  is  the  most 
popular  and  gentlemanly  bait,  trolled  along  tlie 
surface  after  the  manner  of  the  fly,  at  which  the 
fish  break,  similar  to  trout  or  salmon ;  still  there 
are  days  Avhen  you  can  not  tlius  allure  them ;  and 
soft-shell  crab,  spearing  (a  small  transparent  fish 
about  the  size  of  a  minnow),  or  squid,  have  to  be 
resorted  to  ;  even  the  spoon  bait  has  been  known  to 
be  successful  when  all  other  attractions  have  failed. 

Although  this  fish  annually  chooses  a  change  from 
salt  to  fresh  water,  still  it  is  not  necessary  for  his 
existence,  numbers  having  been  experimented  on  by 
detaining  them  for  years  in  fresh,  where  instead  of 
losing  flesh,  they  were  pronounced  to  have  improved 
much  both  in  size  and  condition.  So  exceedingly 
popular  is  the  striped  bass  in  America,  that  those 
watering-places  in  whose  vicinity  he  is  known  to 
abound,  receive  annually  an  immense  influx  of 
visitors   attracted  chiefly  by  the  prospect  o^  enjoy- 


THE    STEirED   BASS.  61 

ing  this  fishing.  Even  a  chib-house  has  been  built, 
and  a  very  large  association  formed  of  the  principal 
gentlemen  in  and  about  New  York,  who  spend  a 
great  portion  of  their  summer  vacation  at  this 
retreat,  and  as  I  have  been  informed  by  many  of 
the  members  (some  of  them  salmon  fishermen  of 
experience),  that  the  sport  they  there  have  is  only 
second  to  what  they  could  obtain  on  Labrador  or 
Canadian  salmon-rivers. 

I  believe  that  this  fish  could  be  most  easily  intrO' 
duced  to  our  waters,  and  that  he  is  well  deserving 
of  the  eflbrt,  for  he  is  very  hardy,  and  I  do  not 
think  so  likely  to  be  affected  by  the  pollution  that  so 
many  of  our  streams  suffer  from ;  they  also  appear 
to  be  immensely  prolific,"  for  trafiic,  netting,  drain- 
age, &c.,  may  Lave  reduced  their  numbers,  still 
they  are  to  be  found  in  great  abundance  even  in 
such  crowded  water-thoroughfares  as  the  Bay  of 
New  York,  Hudson  and  East  rivers,  that  any  person 
duly  initiated  in  the  necessary  mysteries  can,  at  the 
proper  seasons,  confidently  expect  a  heavy  basket  as  a 
reward  for  his  trouble,  and  that  within  sight  of  the 
numerous  spires,  store-houses,  and  busy  thorough- 
fares of  their  handsome  western  metropolis. 

Great  and  unprecedented  trouble  has  been  lately 


62 

taken  successfully  to  introduce  salmon  and  trout  to 
the  southern  lieinisphcre ;  with  how  much  less  dif- 
ficulty could  this  fish  be  transported  here ;  no 
tropic  to  cross,  only  one  fourth  or  fifth  the  distance 
to  traverse,  and  steamships  to  be  found  sailing 
almost  every  day  of  the  week.  Certainly  this 
matter  is  worthy  of  consideration,  for  not  only 
would  thousands  find  amusement  and  healtli  in  their 
capture,  but  a  wholesome  and  excellent  article  of 
food  be  provided  for  our  immense  population. 


SHOOTING   IN   CHINA.  63 


'       SHOOTING    IN    CHIKA. 

"  You  may  go  to  Hong  Kong."  This  name  is 
frequently  substituted  for  another  place  currently 
supposed  to  be  warmer,  but  at  the  same  time  in 
close  proximity,  for  the  soldiers  used  to  say,  on 
whose  authority  I  know  not,  that  there  was  only  a 
sheet  of  brown  paper  between  the  two.  However 
this  may  be,  Hong  Kong  is  a  very  warm  residence 
during  the  southern  monsoon,  for  the  high  hills 
that  protect  the  back  of  the  garrison  at  that  season 
shut  out  every  breath  of  air.  For  all  this  I  never 
saw  the  thermometer  over  98  deg.  Fah.  in  the 
shade,  so  that  according  to  statements  of  some  of 
the  late  residents  at  Wimbledon,  England  in  tropical 
heat  can  successfully  compete  with  the  world.  But 
if  the  weather  should  be  warm  in  this  distant  portion 
of  Her  Majesty's  dominions  during  one  portion  of 
the  year,  the  temperature  is  delightful  when  the 
northern  monsoon  sets  in,  and  out-door  amusements 
can    by   change    be    the    more    appreciated.     The 


54  GUN,   ROD,    AND   SADDLE. 

characteristic  features  of  this  island  are  a  succession 
of  mountain  peaks,  in  parts  very  rocky  and  barren, 
the  balance  of  tlie  hill-sides  being  covered  witli 
stunted  brush.  However,  there  are  two  valleys 
tolerably  well  covered  with  timber,  viz.,  the  Happy 
Valley  and  Taytan  Valley  ;  in  the  former  is  the 
race-course,  where  annually  is  lield  a  meeting,  also 
the  grave-yard,  where  worn-out  man  is  deposited. 
A  pretty  spot  is  the  Happy  Valley.  The  name,  T 
think,  not  inappropriate,  when  we  remember  that 
it  is  the  j^lace  of  assembly,  where  crowds  meet  to 
enjoy  the  equine  contests,  or  where  man  is  laid  to 
rest  from  all  tlie  troubles  and  annoyances  of  this 
life  when  he  has  run  his  worldly  course.  Tlie 
quantity  of  game  to  be  found  in  the  island  is  very 
limited,  and  consists  of  a  few  hog-deer,  a  few 
jjheasants,  some  partridge  (much  resembling  the 
black  partridge  of  India),  and  at  certain  seasons 
quail  and  snipe  ;  but  the  results  are  most  uncertain, 
and  half-a-dozen  birds,  all  told,  will  be  deemed  a 
successful  day's  work.  But  if  Ilong  Kong  does 
not  afford  many  inducements  for  tlie  lover  of  tlie 
double-barrel,  the  adjacent  mainland,  when  you  are 
acquainted  with  the  localities,  does;  and  if  the 
reader  will  have  patience,  I  will  endeavor  to  give 


SHOOTING   IN    CHINA.  55 

a  sketch  of  an  expedition,  and  the  ground  visited. 
Fancy  yourself  on  a  rattan-built  wharf  running  into 
the  liarbor  from  the  godowns  at  the  back  of  the 
Danish  consulate,  a  handsome  lorcha  of  about  sixty 
tons,  tant-liauled  up  to  her  anchor,  waiting  impa- 
tiently a  hundred  yards  from  the  shore  for  the 
moment  of  dej^arture,  while  two  or  three  sampans 
are  incessantly  plying  back  and  forth,  loaded  with 
guns,  dogs,  portmanteaus,  and  good  things  for  the 
inward  man,  ranging  over  the  interval  that  exists 
between  ^:>«?6  de  foie  gras  and  Madame  Cliquot. 
At  last  the  finishing  load  is  delivered,  time  is  up, 
the  blue-peter  is  hoisted  at  the  fore,  and  at  the 
instructions  of  our  kind-hearted  host,  we  descend 
into  his  gig,  and  are  rapidly  on  board  the  larger 
craft.  The  wind,  which  is  fresh,  just  suits;  a  few 
turns  on  the  somewhat  primitive  capstan  trips  the 
anchor,  and  shaking  out  the  immense  mainsail,  her 
head  is  pointed  for  the  Cap-shee-moon  Pass,  the 
great  high-road  of  traffic  between  Hong  Kong  and 
Canton. 

As  we  leave  the  labyrinth  of  shipping  and  junks 
cf  every  nationality  and  shape,  and  draw  fixrther 
clear  of  the  land,  our  speed  increases  to  eight  knots. 
The  pass  reached,  two  or  three  tacks  have  to  be 


56 

made,  when  we  stand  direct  for  Castie  Peak  Bay, 
our  destination;  and  what  a  pretty  spot  it  is, 
sheltered  from  the  cold  winds :  both  grass  and 
shrubs  grow  in  luxuriance  down  to  the  edge  of 
the  water,  while  at  the  head  of  the  bay  is  situated 
one  of  those  quaint  joss-houses,  of  architecture  pe- 
culiarly Chinese,  imbedded  in  a  grove  of  banyans. 
The  country  around  is  a  succession  of  rolling  hills, 
gradually  gaining  height  as  they  recede  from  the 
bay  till  they  reach  an  elevated  rocky  ridge  of  most 
irregular  outline,  one  portion  resembling  an  old 
castellated  ruin,  from  which,  doubtless,  this  placid 
bay  gains  its  name.  When  within  a  hundred  yards 
of  shore,  "let  go  the  anchor"  was  given,  and  w^e 
swung  round  and  surveyed  our  shooting-ground 
with  satisfaction  expressed  on  every  countenance. 
The  day  before  our  party  started,  information  had 
been  brought  by  a  cooly  that  the  quail,  in  their 
regular  autumnal  migratory  flight,  had  arrived ;  and 
scarcely  had  w^e  progressed  inland  a  hundred  paces 
before  the  dogs  were  standing,  and  from  that 
moment,  till  dark,  the  time  for  loading  was  even 
grudged;  the  quantity  that  we  brouglit  to  bag  I 
forget,  and  consequently  fear  to  make  a  statement ; 
but  this  I  know,  it  far  exceeded  our  most  sanixuino 


SHOOTING   IX   CHINA.  57 

expectations.  The  country  around  here  appears  at 
no  late  date  to  have  been  cultivated  ;  but  whether 
the  peaceful  tillers  of  the  soil  had  desisted  on 
account  of  the  neighborhood  having  obtained  a 
very  bad  reputation  for  piracy  I  know  not,  but  our 
experience  in  England  tells  us  how  fond  these  little 
migratory  beauties  are  of  haunts  that  the  plow  has 
ceased  to  turn  up.  Next  morning  our  range  took  us 
farther  inland,  the  quail  still  were  abundant ;  but  as 
we  got  to  the  upper  ranges,  wdiere  a  dwarf  palmetto 
flourishes,  the  Cliinese  partridge  was  found.  This 
bird  has  a  very  strong  resemblance  to  the  black 
partridge  of  India  in  plumage,  but  exceeds  it  in 
size;  never  is  found  in  coveys,  and  lies  extremely 
close  to  a  dog.  Time  after  time  I  have  walked  up 
to  a  point,  quartered  my  ground,  or  headed  my  dog  ; 
still  no  bird  was  visible ;  believing  it  to  be  a  false 
alarm,  I  have  been  on  the  point  of  giving  up  the 
search,  when  whirr,  the  wily  bii-d  would  rise,  and  go 
off  like  a  thunderbolt.  In  all  my  experience,  I 
know  no  other  whose  flushing  makes  such  a  com- 
motion, or  whose  flight  is  so  rapid. 

This  bird  is  not  very  abundant,  and  is  called  by 
the  Chinese  Cha-coo,  doubtless  from  its  note,  which 

much  resembles  these  two  syllables  wdien  whistled. 
3* 


58 

Four  or  five  brace  of  tliem  in  a  mixed  bag  is 
considered  extra  luck;  still  I  have  killed  within 
tlie  space  of  two  liundred  yards  three  couple,  each 
bird  flushing  singly  and  apart.  About  midday  we 
reached  a  Chinese  village,  imbedded  in  trees,  witli  a 
considerable  cover  lying  backward  from  it.  After 
lunch  Ave  beat  it,  and  three  splendid  pheasants  were 
our  reward.  The  pheasant  of  southern  China  is 
truly  a  regal  bird  in  comparison  with  our  home-bred 
introduction.  They  weigh  one-half  more,  and  their 
flight  is  so  rapid,  that  if  the  sportsman,  in  a  cross 
shot,  does  not  shoot  well  ahead,  his  game  bag  will 
long  be  kept  ignorant  of  tlieir  weight  and  dimen- 
sions. Two  or  three  times  during  the  day  I  was 
frightfully  fooled.  The  dogs  were  standing  stiff  as 
a  fence-rail,  and,  of  course,  something  extra  was 
justly  expected,  when,  what  do  you  think  ?  a  bird 
that  feeds  on  snakes  and  lizards,  lumbering  in 
flight,  and  of  gross  plumage,  was  flushed.  In  the 
south  of  China,  this  species  is  known  as  the  crow 
pheasant,  his  size  and  long  tail  having  doubtlessly 
gained  the  latter  portion  of  the  appellation  ;  but  on 
inspection,  no  one  can  help  wondering  at  the  indig- 
nity the  bird  of  Colchis  has  suffered  in  having  such 
a  brute  bear  liis  patronymic.     For  my  own  part,  I 


SHOOTIXG    IN   CHINA.  59 

tliink  this  filthy-feeding  bird  is  of  the  jay  family. 
During  this  day's  work,  several  painted  quails  were 
bagged — a  truly  beautiful  little  bird,  smaller  than 
his  namesake,  but  swift  on  the  wing,  and  more 
delicate,  if  possible,  on  the  table.  Still  they  are  so 
small,  and  the  brilliant  feathers  so  delicately  pencil- 
ed, that  I  never  cease  to  consider  their  death  as  an 
unnecessary  slaughter. 

Time  flies  on  rapid  wing ;  I  had  only  three  days' 
leave  of  absence,  so  that  one  day  more  was  only 
left;  duck  and  snipe  shooting  I  have  always  had 
a  passion  for,  so  when  we  arose  in  the  morning, 
not  much  refreshed  with  sleep  (for  the  cowardly 
Chinese  coolies  kept  constantly  sounding  the  alarm 
of  Lally-lunes — anglice^  pirates — which  kept  turning 
out  the  whole  party,  revolver  in  hand),  we  deter- 
mined to  devote  our  last  day  to  this  sport.  A  wide 
expanse  of  distant  marsh  and  paddy  fields  was  our 
beat,  and  well  it  was  that  such  a  decision  was  come 
to,  for  we  truly  had  some  splendid  shooting.  Several 
ducks,  a  host  of  bitterns  of  every  size  and  color,  and 
innumerable  snipes,  composed  our  bag,  the  painted 
variety  of  the  latter  being  very  numerous.  Although 
this  is  a  handsome  bird  in  appearance,  he  is  sadly 
behind  the   common    snipe   in   sporting   requisites, 


60  GUN,    ROD,    AND    SADDLE. 

being  heavy  and  slow  of  flight,  seldom  wild,  and 
very  inferior  for  the  table.  That  night  we  beat 
back  to  Hong  Kong  harbor,  while  the  stentorian 
lungs  of  one  of  the  party,  and  the  key-bngle  notes 
of  another,  aAVoke  the  slumbering  echoes  of  the 
neighboring  hills,  and  astonished  the  celestial  sea- 
men, who  passed  on  their  various  missions,  with 
what  "  all  that  bobbery  could  be." 

Castle  Peak,  from  wliat  I  have  said,  can  easily  be 
found  by  any  of  the  sportsmen  at  the  distant  garri- 
son of  Hong  Kong;  but  there  are  numerous  pther 
shooting-grounds  as  good,  and  scarcely  farther  dis- 
tant, viz.,  the  Shangmoon  Valley,  at  the  top  of 
Pirates'  Bay,  the  covers  at  the  top  of  wliich  always 
harbor  pheasants ;  the  far  side  of  Meer's  Bay,  after 
crossing  the  Kowloone  Kidge,  have  aflbrded  me 
many  days'  excellent  sport ;  and  the  nearest  end  of 
Llama  Island  to  Victoria,  about  two  or  three  hours' 
sail  from  the  Barracks,  if  occasionally  A^isited,  will 
yield  ample  remuneration  for  a  few  hours'  work. 


DUCK.   SnOOTINO   IN    AMERICA. 


DUCK  SHOOTIXCt  12>r  AMEEIOA. 

It  may  not  be  uninteresting  to  sportsmen  to  have 
an  account  of  what  sport  they  may  look  forward  to 
if  chance  or  intention  shonkl  place  them  on  the 
prairies  of  the  Western  Continent.  It  has  long  been 
my  belief  that  Xatnre  had  strongly  before  her  the 
wants  of -the  votaries  of  field  sports  when  this  favored 
land  was  constructed,  for  the  abundance  of  indige- 
nous food,  the  variety  of  cover,  the  distribution  of 
water,  and  the  salubrity  of  the  climate  are  such,  that 
probably  in  no  other  portion  of  the  globe  similar 
happy  combinations  can  be  found ;  and,  as  a  result, 
the  abundance  of  game  foils  not  one  iota  behind 
what  might  be  expected.  In  vvild-fowl  shooting 
there  are  tw^o  desiderata  on  wdiich  success  depends  : 
first,  suitable  weather ;  secondly,  the  gunner  being 
clothed  in  suitable  colors.  Having  both  the  above 
advantages,  please  to  imagine  yourselves,  on  a  cold, 
blustering  afternoon,  a  few  ilakes  of  snow  falling, 
and  a  strong  presentiment  of  a  severe  frost  before 


62  GtJX,    ROD,    AND    SADDLE. 

morning,  situated  among  the  witliered  leaves  of  a 
2>ersinimon  bush,  on  tlie  edge  of  an  interminable 
slough,  in  the  center  of  one  of  tlie  western  prairies. 
In  every  direction  that  you  cast  your  eyes,  ducks  will 
be  seen,  flock  upon  flock,  while  single  birds,  like  an 
army  of  skirmishers,  dart  here,  there,  and  every- 
where. Having  arranged  your  shot,  powder,  caps, 
and  loading- stick,  as  most  convenient — that  is,  pro- 
vided you  shoot  with  the  muzzle-loader,  and  I  am 
still  old-fashioned  enough  to  believe  it  the  hardest 
hitter — foi  every  moment  is  of  value,  look  out ;  you 
Avill  not  be  kept  long  waiting  ere  such  work  com- 
mences as  you  seldom  or  never  previously  enjoyed. 
Your  situation,  half  up  to  your  knees  in  slush  and 
water,  may  not  be  conducive  to  health,  but  all  the 
inconvenience  is  more  than  overbalanced  by  the  ex- 
citement of  the  moment ;  and  what  will  not  a  man 
endure,  if  possessed  with  true  sporting  proclivities,  to 
gratify  his  passion,  and  does  he  not  consider  himself 
more  than  rewarded  by  the  possession  of  a  licavy 
bag,  alike  evidence  of  his  skill ^and  hardihood. 

On  the  afternoon  of  November ,  I  started  for 

my  blind ;  the  weather  was  such  as  clearly  foretold 
tlie  sport  to  be  anticipated.  My  hardy  mustang 
soon  brought   me  to  the   scene  of  operations,  and, 


DUCK    SUOOTENG    IN   AMERICA.  63 

after  attending  to  his  creature  comforts,  1  was  sta- 
tioned in  my  blind,  a  few  corn-stalks  and  grass 
having  been  added  to  the  withered  foliage  of  the 
bush  I  had  selected,  the  better  to  screen  me ;  further, 
I  had  tied  a  bunch  of  prairie  grass  around  my  cap, 
to  assimilate  it  more  to  the  color  of  the  cheerless 
landscape ;  at  my  feet  was  an  old  and  true  friend,  a 
setter,  whose  perfections  in  the  hunting-field,  or 
retrieving  by  water  I  never  saw  excelled.  At  first 
the  sport  was  but  languid,  only  an  occasional  duck 
passing  within  range,  so  that  after  an  hour  only  four 
or  five  mallards  had  been  brought  to  bag,  but  as  the 
day  advanced  and  the  weather  became  more  inclem- 
ent, I  had  less  leisure  to  ruminate  and  take  note  of  the 
passage  of  time.  By  four,  p.  m.,  the  ball  had  opened 
in  earnest ;  if  I  had  had  two  guns  and  an  attendant 
to  load,  still  they  would  not  have  been  idle.  First 
come  half  a  dozen  mallards  sweeping  along  in  front 
of  the  blast,  the  pace  terrific  ;  about  forty  yards  off 
they  pass  to  the  left ;  with  intuitive  knowledge  the 
gun  comes  to  the  shoulder  and  eye,  and  at  the  correct 
moment  the  triggers  are  pressed;  good  two  yards  in 
front  have  I  to  shoot,  and  my  judgnient  is  correct, 
for  a  bird  topples  over  to  each  report,  while  the  sur- 
vivors  rush   upward   with  unaltered  speed,  take  a 


64  GUN",    EOD,    AND   SADDLE. 

sweei)  round  to  find  from  whence  comes  the  danger, 
and,  disliking  the  neighborhood,  start  for  parts  un- 
known and  less  to  be  dreaded. 

As  I  hastily  sent  liome  my  Avads  over  my  shot, 
keeping  an  eye  all  the  time  to  windward,  what  is 
that  ever-changing  cloud  I  see,  reminding  one  of 
the  reflected  light  that  glances  off  the  backs  of  a 
flight  of  gray  plovers  ?  By  Jove,  they  are  blue- 
winged  teal !  On,  on  they  come,  occasionally  rising 
or  swooping  downward  as  fancy  directs.  In  a 
moment  they  will  be  here — for  your  life  don't  move  ; 
even  depress  your  eyes  so  that  the  rim  of  your  hat 
will  prevent  the  leaders  seeing  them.  At  last  they 
are  within  range,  and  each  barrel's*  course  is  marked 
by  a  lane  of  birds,  whom  the  shot  has  caused  to 
alter  their  forward  movement.  As  night  approaches, 
the  pintail  and  butter  ducks  put  in  an  appearance, 
and  without  cessation  your  gun  plays  its  part,  the 
pile  of  game  at  your  feet  is  becoming  enormous,  and 
Beau  is  never  idle  for  a  moment.  As  darkness 
increases,  you  think  of  going  home,  still  linger  for 
one  or  two  more  shots.  'Now  you  can  only  see  the 
birds  on  the  wing  that  are  between  your  sight  and 
some  clear  spot  in  the  sky,  but  around  you  on  the 
water  are  thousands.     As  every  arrival  is  greeted 


DUCK    SHOOTING    IN    AMERICA.  65 

with  a  loud  quack,  qnack,  frequently  so  close  at 
hand  that  you  start,  almost  believing  that  one  of 
your  victims  has  come  to  life.  But  hark !  what  is 
that  honk !  honk !  Geese  !  I  can't  go  till  I  dust 
some  of  their  jackets.  As  none  of  all  the  web- 
footed  tribe  are  so  wary,  extra  precaution  is 
necessary.  At  length  you  see  a  massive  dark  line 
against  the  sole  clear  jiortion  of  northern  sky 
remaining.  Would  that  heavier  shot  were  in  my 
gun.  Onward  they  come,  slowly  and  cautiously; 
waiting  till  they  are  nearly  perpendicular,  I  play 
my  part,  and  the  heavy  splash  on  one  side  and 
thud  on  the  other  clearly  states  that  two  are  down, 
one  in  the  water  and  the  other  on  shore.  Witli 
such  a  finale  you  cease,  nor  is  it  too  soon,  for  I 
really  believe  that  if  you  were  to  remain  after  dark- 
ness you  might  receive  an  injury,  as  the  birds,  no 
longer  dreading  a  foe,  rush  about  in  the  most  reck- 
less way,  that  I  have  felt  quite  a  relief  at  getting 
out  of  the  marsh  without  a  mallard  going  at  express 
speed  coming  in  contact  with  my  cranium.  On  the 
night  in  question  twenty-eight  brace  of  ducks,  two 
geese,  and  three  brant  was  the  bag — good  sport,  as 
all  must  agree,  for  three  or  four  hours'  shooting. 


C6  GUN,   EOD,    AND   SADDLE. 


EUrrED    GEOUSE. 

(tetrao  umbellus.) 

In  "Land  and  Water"  of  May  30th,  I  have 
advocated  the  mtrodiietion  into  England  of  the 
American  partridge  {Ortex  Virginiensis)^  having 
perfect  confidence  in  their  being  most  snitable  birds 
for  naturalization,  knowing  them  to  be  almost  per- 
fection in  sjjorting  qualities,  and  very  superior  as 
additions  to  the  larder ;  b.ut  with  all  my  partiality 
for  that  little  beauty,  I  w^ill  presume  upon  your 
space  and  good-nature  by  mentioning  the  claims  of 
one  of  the  grouse  family,  that  equally  deserves 
honorable  notice  and  the  attention  of  those  persons 
Avho  may  be  desirous  of  having  a  greater  variety 
of  featliered  game  than  at  piH?sent  is  to  be  found. 
The  ruffed  grouse  [Ittrao  WH.bellus)  must  not,  how- 
ever, be  confused  with  the  pinnated  grouse  [Tetrao 
cupido)^  for  although  both  have  a  great  simihxrity 
in   appearance    and   size,   their   modes   of  life   and 


BUFFED    GROUSE.  67 

choice  of  quarters  are  totally  dissimilar,  the  former 
Leinoj  found  amonor  timber  or  brush,  or  in  its 
immediate  vicinity,  while  the  latter  chooses  the 
open  grass-covered  prairies,  perching  upon  trees 
only  when  the  winter  is  very  severe  and  the  ground 
covered  wdth  snow,  and.  then  making  use  of  such 
trees  as  are  always  to  be  found  standing  alone, 
and  sparsely  sprinkled  along  the  margin  of  these 
immense  western  savannas.  Both  these  varieties 
are  splendid  birds,  but  the  characteristics  of  the 
ruifed  grouse  make  him  much  better  adapted  for 
a  residence  here,  and  so  strongly  am  I  disposed  in 
their  favor,  that  I  believe  if  once  introduced  they 
would  as  soon  as  known  outrival  the  pheasant  in 
popularity,  being  much  hardier,  swifter  on  the  wing, 
lying  better  to  dogs,  disinclined  to  run  before 
flushing,  requiring  the  quickest  and  straightest  aim 
to  bring  them  to  bag,  nor  are  they  much  inferior  to 
the  oriental  favorite  in  beauty  of  plumage. 

The  ruffed  grouse  a  little  exceeds  the  red  grouse 
in  size,  behig  almost  eighteen  inches  in  length,  is 
very  handsome  and  upright  in  form,  of  a  beautiful 
rich  chestnut-brown  color,  variegated  with  gray  and 
dark  spots,  and  pencilings  on  the  back,  breast,  and 
neck.     The  .tail  is  gray,  with  a  black  bar  across  it 


68  GUN,    EOD,    AND    SADDLE. 

near  its  termination,  and  is  generally  carried  open 
like  a  fan.  On  the  top  of  the  head  there  is  a  slight 
crest,  and  down  each  side  of  the  neck  are  curious 
fan-shaped  tufts  of  glossy,  black,  yelvet-looking 
feathers.  In  April  these  birds  pair,  but  I  should 
imagine  from  the  seasons-  in  the  northern  portion 
of  the  United  States  and  Canada  being  more  back- 
ward than  ours,  if  they  were  introduced  here  they 
would  do  so  a  month  earlier.  They  lay  from  ten  to 
sixteen  eggs,  their  nest,  which  is  a  very  primitive 
one,  being  generally  secreted  in  brush  or  under  the 
shelter  of  a  fallen  log.  They  are  most  affectionate 
parents,  and  use  the  same  artifices  as  the  Avild  duck 
to  draw  away  the  intruders  from  the  vicinity  of  their 
youthful  progeny.  This  grouse  has  two  distinct 
calls,  one  a  soft,  mellow,  prolonged  note,  gene^^lly 
used  in  gathering  after  the  covey  has  been  broken 
up  ;  the  other  an  extraordinary  drumming  sound 
made  by  the  cocks  in  pairing  season,  and  capable  of 
being  heard  in  still  weather  a  great  distance.  The 
latter  noise  is  caused  by  the  rapid  vibration  of  the 
wings  when  the  male  is  perched  on  a  fallen  tree 
or  stump.  Indiscriminately  they  live  on  a  great 
variety  of  food — ants,  grubs,  alder-berries,  wild 
cherries,  and  grain  being  their  favorite  4iet.     Early 


RUFFED     GROUSE.  69 

in  autumn,  when  tlie  weather  is  fine,  particularly  in 
the  morning  and  evening,  they  will  be  found  in  the 
open  cultivation,  more  especially  if  there  be  rough 
ground  with  brush  in  the  vicinity ;  but  as  severe 
weather  approaches  the  woods  will  become  their 
constant  resort.  In  shooting  the  ruflTed  grouse, 
great  difficulty  is  always  experienced  in  marking 
tliem.  The  flight,  as  I  have  previously  said,  is 
wonderfully  rapid,  and  they  have  a  method  of 
doubling  back  in  the  reverse  direction  in  which 
they  started;  however,  as  they  do  not  generally 
go  far  (about  three  or  four  hundred  yards),  v>'ith 
patience,  and  a  selection  of  the  nearest  irregular 
ground  which  has  young  timber  upon  it,  or  the 
densest  brush  that  is  in  the  vicinity,  a  second 
opportunity  will  probably  be  again  found  of  bring- 
inn-  more  of  the  familv  to  baj^.  All  over  the  United 
States  and  Canada  they  are  to  be  found,  being 
generally  known  by  the  misnomers  of  partridge  and 
pheasant.  "Where  the  country  is  wide  and  sparsely 
settled,  they  are  sometimes  stupidly  tame,  almost 
permitting  themselves  to  be  knocked  down  with  a 
stick.  Frequently,  w^hen  trout-fishing  in  the  wilds 
of  the  State  of  Maine,  I  have  come  suddenly  upon 
tliem,  when  they  would  rise  into   the  nearest  tree, 


70  gu:j7,  rod,  and  saddle. 

and  remain  with  nnconccrn  watching  you,  when, 
from  evident  curiosity,  they  would  stretch  their 
necks,  and  get  into  all  kinds  of  grotesque  attitudes, 
and  so  little  would  they  then  regard  the  report  of 
a  gun,  that  I  have  known  pot-hunters  kill  quite  a 
number  of  the  same  family  by  always  shooting  the 
lowest  birds  first.  But  when  the  ruffed  grouse 
becomes  flimiliar  with  man,  he  is  perfectly  cognizant 
of  the  danger  of  being  in  his  proximity,  for  although 
they  lie  close  enough  to  shoot  at,  their  color  harmon- 
izes so  well  with  that  of  the  ground  that  it  is  next  to  im- 
possible to  see  tliem  before  they  are  on  the  wing,  when 
such  is  their  impetuosity  that  the  timid,  nervous,  pot- 
tering shot,  or  the  poacher  with  all  his  devices,  would 
find  it  next  to  impossible  to  kill  a  single  specimen. 

In  the  undergrowth  which  springs  up  in  that  por- 
tion of  the  country  where  the  timber  has  been  de- 
stroyed by  fire,  in  the  States  of  Maine,  Xew  Hamp- 
shire, and  Vermont,  I  found  them  very  abundant,  it 
being  almost  impossible  to  wander  half  a  mile  from 
camp  or  settlement  without  flushing  a  covey.  Xow 
the  winters  here  are  particularly  long  and  rigorous, 
far  exceeding  in  severity  those  of  Scotland  ;  still,  the 
bird's  natural  hardiness  prevents  his  sufiering.  In 
the  Alleghunies  and  all  the  southern  )-an<jjes  of  hilU 


EUFFED    GEOTTSE.  71 

of  the  United  States  he  is  also  abundant,  where,  if 
the  winters  are  less  severe,  the  heat  in  summer  is 
sometimes  excessive,  proving  that  the  ruffed  grouse 
is  capable  of  enduring  great  varieties  of  climate. 
The  palate  of  the  most  fastidious  epicure  can  not  fail 
to  be  gratified  with  his  appearance  on  the  table,  the 
flesh  being  extremely  delicate,  Avith  a  strong  flavor 
of  our  red  grouse.  I  have  eaten  them  cooked  in 
every  conceivable  manner,  and  whether  it  be  simply 
roasted  over  a  camp  fire  or  forming  a  portion  of  an 
omnium-gatherum  stew,  they  will  be  found  alike 
acceptable.  Although  scarcity  of  food  may  compel 
this  grouse  to  change  his  beat,  still  they  are  not  mi- 
gratory, as  stated  by  some  naturalists.  This  suppo- 
sition has  arisen  from  their  being  found  in  great 
numbers  during  summer  and  autumn  on  the  scrub 
barren  land,  which  they  leave  as  soon  as  the  more 
severe  weather  commences,  for  the  shelter  of  the 
dense  timber.  A  family  of  these  birds  I  was  ac- 
quainted with  for  a  year.  On  their  range  there  was 
an  abundance  of  food  and  water,  and  during  that 
period  I  could  always  find  them,  their  liome  being  a 
little  hilly  island  in  the  prairie  covered  with  timber 
and  brush,  and  detached  from  any  irregular  land  by 
several  miles  of  grass. 


72  GUN,   EOD5    AND   Sx\DDLE. 

Some  authorities  have  placed  woodcock  shooting 
first  in  the  list,  and  called  it  the  fox-hunting  of  those 
pleasures  in  which  the  dog  and  gun  form  the  chief 
accessories.  As  far  as  present  British  field-sports 
are  concerned,  I  believe  they  are  correct,  but  should 
the  ruffed  grouse  be  introduced,  and  they  once  ex- 
perienced the  suddenness  of  their  rise,  the  velocity 
and  irregularity  of  their  flight,  the  uncertainty  of 
their  movements,  and  the  beauty  and  size  of  this 
game  when  bagged,  they  would  assuredly  insert  a 
saving  clause,  or  change  their  opinions  in  toto.  Much 
as  I  have  said  in  favor  of  the  American  partridge, 
with  equal  fervor  I  can  advance  the  claims  of  the 
ruffed  grouse  ;  still,  they  both  are  very  different,  but 
the  nearest  explanation  I  can  at  present  think  of,  is 
that  the  former  is  essentially  adapted  to  the  require- 
ment of  the  veteran  sportsman,  while  the  pursuit  of 
the  latter  will  tax  all  the  strength  of  limb  and  im- 
petuous ardor  of  our -younger  enthusiasts;  the  one 
is  game  that  will  afford  the  most  delightful  pastime, 
similar  to  hare-hunting  with  beagles,  while  tlie  other 
will  demand  in  its  successful  pursuit  all  the  energy 
of  tlie  highly  bi-ed,  dashing,  courageous  fox-hound. 
I  doubt  not  many,  I  believe  all,  of  the  warm  admirers 
of  yhooting,  will  agree  with  me,  that  there  is  a  supe* 


RUFFED    GKOITSE.  73 

rior  pleasure  in  making  a  mixed  bag,  now  a  mallard, 
next  a  woodcock,  perchance  thirdly,  a  partridge,  and 
so  forth — loading  your  discharged  barrel,  scarcely 
knowing  at  what  description  of  game  it  will  be  used. 
Yes,  truly,  constant  novelty  and  change  is  a  great 
additional  attraction  even  in  field  sports,  and  with 
our  demesnes,  parks,  and  forests,  inhabited  by  a 
goodly  number  of  both  these  varieties,  the  ruffed 
grouse  and  American  partridge,  in  addition  to  their 
present  tenants,  the  cravings  of  the  most  insatiable 
ought  to  be  satisfied ;  and  at  a  very  trifling  exj^ense 
and  trouble  these  introductions  could  be  accom- 
plished. 


74  GUN,  KOD,  AND  SADDLE. 


GUN  FOE  GENEEAL  EOEEIGN 
SHOOTING. 

There  is  no  gun  so  generally  useful  for  all  descrip- 
tions of  shooting  on  the  American  Continent,  in  my 
humble  opinion,  as  one  of  the  following  dimensions  : 
viz.,  twenty-six  inches  long  in  the  barrel,  ten  bore, 
and  weighing  about  eight  pounds.  These  dimen- 
sions are  those  of  my  constant  and  w^ell-tried  old 
companion,  and  I  have  never  met  with  a  gun  that 
could  perform  better.  A  gun-maker  in  New  York, 
who  has  deservedly  a  good  reputation,  told  me  that 
the  best-shooting  guns  he  had  ever  made  Avere  of 
these  dimensions.  If  any  intend  ordering  a  gun  for 
American  shooting,  I  should  further  recommend  that 
it  be  perfectly  plain,  and  free  from  all  engraving. 
As  to  choice  between  muzzle  and  breech  loadei-s,  I 
should  advise  the  former,  as  cartridges  are  trouble- 
some and  bulky  to  carry,  and  if  the  stock  should  run 
short,  a  considerable  loss  of  time  w^ould  occur  (if  you 
were  on  the  confines  of  civilization)  before  a  Iresli 


GUK   FOR   GENERAL    FOREIGN    SHOOTING.  T5 

sujjply  could  be  obtained,  but  there  is  no  place,  from 
a  trading-post  to  a  hamlet,  where  the  ordinary  loose 
ammunition  can  not  be  obtained.  Further,  I  am  of 
OjDinion  that  the  muzzle-loader  lias  greater  force,  kill- 
ing farther  and  hitting  harder  than  the  breech- 
loader. 


7fi  GUN,    BOD,    AND   SADDLE. 


CHINESE    OYSTEES. 

In  my  ^yanderi^g•s  fibout  the  Chinese  coast  in 
scorch  of  game,  I  frequently  came  across  immense 
banks  of  oysters,  apparently  no  person's  property ; 
ai:d  this  is  the  more  remarkable  when  we  remember 
that  there  is  probably  no  people  on  the  face  of  the 
globe  who  have  the  same  skill  in  rendering  all 
descriptions  of  animal  matter  fit  for  table  purposes. 
About  thirty  miles  from  Victoria,  the  capital  of 
Hong  Kong,  on  the  route  to  the  entrance  of  the 
Canton  River,  is  situated  the  entrance  to  a  bay, 
Avhich  from  the  distance  it  runs  inland  is  designated 
Deep  Bay;  the  northern  shore  is- one  continuous 
mud-bank,  on  the  upper  portion  of  which  are  to 
be  found  actually  acres  of  oysters.  My  acquaint- 
ance with  this  fact  is  not  likely  to  be  forgotten.  A 
friend  and  I  had  been  shooting  wild  fowl;  a  cripple 
had  given  us  a  long  chase  toward  sliore,  and  after 
we  had  succeeded  in  capturing  the  bird,  we  found 
our  return  cut  olf,  as  the  tide  had  receded,  and  the 


CHINESE   OYSTERS.  Y7 

sharp  edges  of  the  oyster  shells  becotiie  so  close  to 
the  bottom  of  the  boat,  that  if  ^ye  had  persevered. 
in  forcmg  her  out,  we  should  soon  have  cut  a  hole 
in  her  bottom.  To  get  out  and  wade  was  im- 
possible, as  shoe  leather  would  never  have  stood 
the  ordeal,  therefore  there  was  no  alternative  left 
but  to  remain  till  the  rising  tide  would  float  us  out ; 
any  thing  but  a  pleasant  resource,  when  time  was 
valuable  and  shooting  at  a  premium.  Slightly  to 
console  our  wounded  feelings,  we  attacked  the 
oysters,  which  were  excellent,  and  certainly  de- 
molished an  immense  quantity.  Another  time,  in 
a  pheasant-shooting  trip  to  Meer's  Bay,  one  of  the 
minor  inlets,  where  our  lorcha  was  anchored,  had 
its  margin  densely  covered  with  oysters,  and  the 
natives  did  not  make  the  slightest  objection  to  our 
using  as  many  as  required.  From  this  circum- 
stance it  may  be  presumed  that  they  knew  no 
marketable  value  for  them,  for  if  a  Chinaman  can 
have  the  slightest  grounds  for  fabricating  an  excuse 
for  squeezing  an  Englishman,  he  is  certain  to  do  it. 
The  only  oysters  that  I  have  known  exposed  for 
sale  in  Hong  Kong,  and  those  only  in  A^ery  small 
quantities,  when  they  are  always  purchased  by  the 
Europeans,  are   from   Amoy,  and   they   are   really 


78  GUN,    ROD,    AND    SADDLE. 

excellent,  for  from  appearance  and  flavor  tliey  can 
favorably  compare  with  those  of  Colchester.  For 
some  years  the  resident  merchants  of  Hong  Kong 
have  been  aware  of  the  fact,  and  like  Shanghai 
mutton  and  game,  the  representatives  of  head- 
quarters at  the  port  of  Amoy  annually  send  pro- 
pitiatory offerings  of  their  delicate  shell-fish  to  their 
superiors.  Some  time  since  I  was  informed  that 
a  considerable  shipment  of  oysters  was  about  to 
take  place,  with  the  intention  of  making  an  effort 
to  furnish  Australia  and  Xew  Zealand,  with  this 
luxury.  Xow  instead  of  taking  them  from  here,  if 
the  coast  of  China  was  selected,  the  probabilities  of 
success  in  my  opinion  would  be  much  greater,  for 
the  transportation  distance  can  scarcely  be  over 
one-fourth  of  the  voyage  to  Europe,  and  moreover, 
in  favorable  seasons  any  thing  but  a  stormy  passage 
might  be  anticipated,  a  circumstance  not  without 
considerable  importance,  for  it  is  well  known  tliat 
the  oyster  can  support  itself  a  long  time  out  of 
water  on  its  own  juice.  If  this  hint  should  be 
adopted,  then  I  have  neitlier  wasted  the  ink  and 
paper  willi  wliicli  tliis  is  indited,  nor  my  time  in 
giving  my  readers  the  information  that  oysters  are 
to  be  obtained  in  the  Celestial  Empire. 


ctrrrLE-FisH.  79 


CUTTLE-FISH. 

There  are  very  few  inhabitants  of  the  ocean  which 
have  so  extensive  a  range  of  residence  as  the  cuttle- 
fish. In  the  Atlantic  or  Pacific  he  is  equally  at 
home,  and  in  the  western  end  of  the  Mediterranean 
he  abounds.  Wondrous  stories  are  told  of  his 
savage  proclivities,  and  in  a  shop  in  China  I  saw  a 
picture  in  which  one  of  this  family  was  represented 
embracing  a  junk  (which,  judging  from  the  size  of 
the  figures  on  board,  must  have  been  two  or  three 
hundred  tons),  and  quietly  helping  himself  to 
mariners,  as  appetite  dictated.  Why  the  Celestials 
did  not  get  under  the  hatches  I  was  unable  to 
comprehend.  That  some  of  this  species  grow  to 
an  immense  size,  there  is  no  doubt,  as  the  whale 
is  often  found  to  contain  dismembered  arms  and 
other  parts  of  this  their  favorite  food,  wliich  must 
originally  have  been  component  parts  of  monsters 
of  gigantic  proportions.  To  their  belligerent  dispo- 
sition I  can  attest,  for  well  I  remember  seeing  one 


80  GUN,    EOD,    AND    SADDLE. 

about  five  feet  across,  attempting  to  seize  a  retriever 
"who  Avas  paddling  in  the  shalloAV  water  at  the  head 
of  Rosia  Bay,  Gibraltar.  During  my  residence  in 
that  garrison,  there  resided  a  seiiorita  who,  from 
her  graceful  carriage  and  pretty  feet,  never  failed  to 
attract  attention ;  but  she  ahvays  wore  her  mantilla 
so  disposed  that  her  face  could  not  be  seen. 
Curiosity  induced  me  to  inquire  the  reason  from 
one  of  her  acquaintances,  when  I  was  informed  that 
while  bathing  she  had  been  seized  by  a  cuttle-fish 
across  the  face,  and  that  ever  since  an  unsightly 
mark,  where  the  blood  had  been  drawn  to  the 
surface,  remained.  The  cuttle-fish,  although  most 
repulsive  to  look  at,  is  much  prized  on  the  coast  of 
Spain  as  an  article  of  food ;  they  are  frequently 
taken  on  the  hook,  but  more  generally  caught 
among  the  rocks  in  shallow  water  with  a  gaff.  A 
number  of  such  in  a  boat  doubtless  would  be  con- 
sidered unpleasant  companions,  for  out  of  the  water 
they  can  move  with  facility ;  however,  this  is  not 
so,  for  the  fisherman  immediately  on  bringing  him  to 
the  surface,  with  his  hands  turns  the  globe  which 
forms  the  body  inside  out,  thereby  destroying  all  the 
power  of  suction.  Tliis  is  easily  done,  for  tliere 
is   an  orifice  on  one  side  which   the  fingers  can  bo 


CUTTLE-FISH.  81 

forced  into,  and  unless  the  fish  should  be  of  unusual 
size,  no  difficulty  is  experienced  in  placing  him  hors 
de  combat.  I  have  often  eaten  them;  their  flesh 
when  properly  cooked  being  excellent.  The  best 
mode  of  preparing  them  according  to  my  taste,  is 
the  following :  first  cleanse  thoroughly  by  scalding, 
then  rub  body  and  legs  with  garlic,  afterward  cut 
the  whole  into  small  pieces,  which  fry  in  olive  oil,  one 
or  two  fresh  plucked  Chili  peppers  being  introduced 
for  seasoning. 


82  GUN,    ROD,    AKD   SADDLE. 


THE    SXIPE    OF    AMEEIOA. 

(SCOLOPAX  WILSOXII.) 

I  NEVER  met  a  good  shot  who  was  not  partial 
to  snipe  shooting;  whether  I  am  a  good  shot  or 
no,  matters  not;  but  of  all  pleasm'es,  there  are  few  I 
so  tlioroughly  enjoy  as  a  day  among  the  long  bills. 
In  the  different  portions  of  the  globe  that  fate 
or  luck  has  knocked  me  about,  I  have  always  been 
able  to  find  snipe ;  so  I  am  inclined  to  believe  that 
there  is  no  family  more  generally  and  universally 
distributed.  But  the  prairies  of  Western  America 
far  outdo  all  others  in  the  abundance  of  this  descrip- 
tion of  feathered  game.  Scolopax  Wllso7iil  is  truly 
a  splendid  bird,  so  nearly  similar  to  our  own  home 
beauty  that  the  skillful  naturalist  is  alone  able  to 
distinguish  the  one  from  the  otiier;  in  "habits,  flight, 
and  even  call,  they  are  essentially  alike.  How  my 
heart  warmed  the  first  day  I  shot  them,  for  the 
familiar  cry  that  each  bird  uttered  as  he  flushed, 


THE    SNIPE    OF    AMEKICA.  83 

ti'finsported  me  back  to  days  long  gone  by,  to  the 
society  of  old  companions  long  under  the  sod,  and  a 
happy  circle  of  relations,  to  whom  it  was  ever  my 
delight  to  exhibit  the  proofs  of  my  skill. 

The  Wilson  snii>e — for  by  this  name  he  is  famil- 
iarly known  all  over  the  American  continent — 
spends  the  winter  moi\ths  in  the  Southern  States, 
principally  in  those  that  border  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  ; 
but  as  spiing  advances,  they  follow  up  northward 
the  line  of  demarkation  between  frost  and  thaw, 
ultimately  arriving  in  that  boundless  expanse  which 
stretches  northward  from  the  Great  Lakes  to  the 
Arctic  Ocean.  Up  in  this  remote  haunt  is  their 
principal  breeding-ground,  although  occasionally  a 
nest  may  be  found  much  farther  to  the  south  ;  but 
in  all  instances  of  such  that  I  have  been  able  to  find, 
I  have  been  induced  to  believe  that  either  the  male 
or  female  bird  had  met  with  an  accident,  preventing 
the  following  of  the  migration  of  his  or  her  com- 
panions. What  a  beautiful  lesson  all  may  learn 
from  this;  how  it  should  speak  home  to  the  human 
heart  this  attachment  of  the  mate,  who,  sooner  than 
desert  a  companion,  forsakes  for  the  time  being  his 
wdiole  race,  save  one,  and  foregoes  even  following 
the  journey  dictated  by  nature. 


8i 

In  southern  Illinois,  where  I  had  the  greatest 
amount  of  experience  in  killing  this  game,  the 
advance  heralds  of  migration  generally  arrived 
ahout  the  10th  of  March.  Much,  of  course,  depended 
whether  the  winter  was  late  or  otherwise ;  but  if  a 
thaw  had  taken  place,  and  a  moist  southerly  wind 
had  been  blowing  over  night,  the  ground  that 
yesterday  you  had  tramped  over  in  pursuit  of  wild 
duck  without  seeing  a  single  snipe,  on  the  morrow 
would  harbor  thousands.  Their  journey  being  a 
continuation  of  short  flights,  they  are  seldom  out  of 
condition  on  arrival ;  and  as  they  do  not  take  up  a 
permanent  residence,  little  compunction  is  felt  in 
shooting  them.  Out  of  the  large  number  that  I 
have  brought  to  bag,  I  do  not  remember  a  single 
instance  of  an  eg^i;,  or  other  indication  that  pairing 
had  taken  place.  The  prairies  of  this  State  (Illinois) 
are  generally  burned  late  in  the  fall,  or  early  in 
spring,  to  improve  the  succeeding  year's  grazing, 
leaving  the  surface  of  the  soil  entirely  denuded  of 
grass,  except  where  moisture  lias  prevented  the 
burn  taking  effect.  Over  this,  especially  in  the 
vicinity  of  sloughs,  dwarf  persimmon  bushes  abound, 
and  there  the  snipe  much  frequent.  A  dog  is  not 
necessary  here,  for  the  game  is  so  abundant,  unless, 


THE    SNIPE    OF   AMERICA.  85 

perhaps,  a  good  retriever,  wlio  must  be  under  sucli 
control  as  never  to  attempt  to  leave  heel,  except  when 
ordered  by  his  master  to  recover  a  cripple.  A  fur- 
tlier  attraction  to  this  sport,  beyond  the  numbers 
that  can  be  killed,  is  tliat  few  days  pass  on  which 
numbers  of  teal,  pin-tailed  duck,  or  mallard  do  not 
assist  to  swell  the  size  of  your  game-bag.  From 
the  advent  of  the  first  flight  till  the  middle  of  May, 
additional  arrivals  take  place,  but  after  that  date  all 
disappear  till  the  fall  of  the  leaf,  and  gusty  change- 
able weather  fortells  the  near  approach  of  winter. 
But  the  autumnal  flight  is  never  numerically  equal 
to  that  of  spring  ;  still,  if  twenty  brace  will  satisfy 
the  sportsman,  he  can  have  that  reward  for  his 
labor,  provided  he  be  a  fair  shot. 

In  America  are  to  be  found  many  excellent  shots. 
By  them  the  arrival  of  the  snipe  is  looked  forward 
to  with  much  pleasure ;  but  to  tlie  pot-hunter,  the 
fellow  who  will  shoot  pinnated  grouse  on  the  ground, 
the  duck  upon  the  water,  or  crawl  all  day  through 
brush  to  have  a  standing  chance  at  a  wild  turkey, 
this  branch  of  shooting  presents  little  attraction. 
How  satisfactory  it  is  that  there  is  at  least  one  game- 
bird  who  can  laugh  with  derision  at  such  pursuers. 
At   fi,rst.   when    the    snipe    makes    its   appearance, 


86 

especially  if  the  weather  be  wet  and  bhistering, 
they  are  inclined  to  be  wild ;  but  much  depends 
upon  the  amount  of  cover,  and  consequently  slielter, 
afforded  by  the  locality,  but  when  the  genial  sun  of 
spring  shines  Avith  invigorating  warmth,  they  will 
frequently  lie  so  close  that  many  will  flush  almost  at 
your  feet.  When  wild,  their  flights  are  long  and 
rapid ;  when  not  so,  they  droop  their  wings,  and 
frequently  alight  before  a  hundred  yards  have  been 
traversed.  However,  this  does  not  apply  to  the 
whole  day,  for  toward  sunset,  possibly  from  having 
by  that  time  digested  their  last  night's  meal,  for 
they  feed  principally  by  night,  they  invariably 
become  wild,  and  more  diflicult  of  access.  To  be 
successful  in  making  a  heavy  bag  of  snipe,  tlicrc 
is  a  rule  which  may  be  benelicial  to  the  tyro  to 
remember,  viz.,  always  to  hunt  down  wind,  or  as 
much  so  as  possible,  provided  always  dogs  are  not 
used.  The  stronger  tlie  breeze,  the  more  necessity 
for  doing  so;  the  reason  being,  that  invariably  snipe 
fly  against  the  wind,  and  being  flushed  by  your 
advancing  on  them  from  windward,  the  birds  will 
wheel  round  to  the  right  or  left,  and  present  an  eas^y 
cross-shot,  in  their  determination  to  pursue  the 
desired  direction. 


THE    SNIPE    OF   AMERICA.  87 

The  migration  of  this  snipe,  as  well  as  of  the 
American  woodcock,  is  peculiar;  all  appear  to  act 
independently  of  the  other.  Dozens  may  be  seen  to 
pass  or  light  near  you  in  the  space  of  a  few  minutes, 
yet  each  bird  is  alone.  Many  an  evening,  after  sun- 
set, have  I  watched  their  coming,  yet  never  saw  two 
or  more  together.  As  a  rule,  these  journeys  by 
both  the  above-mentioned  take  place  before  sunrise 
and  after  sunset.  This  scattered  mode  of  traveling, 
and  the  hour  at  which  it  takes  place,  are  doubtless 
the  reasons  that  none  but  close  observers  of  nature 
witness  these  flights.  By  the  end  of  May  the  migra- 
tion of  this  snipe  has  ceased,  and  their  summer 
quarters  are  reached,  which  are,  as  previously  stated, 
principally  north  of  the  Great  Lakes  and  the  St. 
Lawrence ;  although  not  a  few  spend  the  summer  in 
Nova  Scotia,  New  Brunswick,  and  Maine.  Early  in 
June  they  commence  laying  their  eggs,  four  in  num- 
ber, in  a  nest  of  the  most  primitive  construction,  it 
being  simply  an  indentation  in  some  trifling  excres- 
cence of  the  surfice.  The  eggs,  which  are  of  a 
yellowish-brown  color,  blotched  with  dark  markings, 
taper  very  much  toward  the  small  end;  they  are 
always  placed  in  the  nest  with  the  larger  end 
outward.     As*  soon  as  the  young  are  hatched,  they 


88  GUN,    ROD,    AND    SADDT.E. 

leave  the  nest,  and  in  six  weeks  afterward  are 
almost  fall  grown.  At  this  age  it  is  impossible 
to  tell  the  Wilson  snipe  from  our  home  variety; 
however,  at  any  period  the  difference  is  very  slight ; 
and  as  they  are  quite  as  strong,  swift,  and  erratic  in 
their  flight,  and,  moreover,  to  be  found  in  immense 
quantities,  ten  or  twelve  dozen  per  day  being  no 
unusual  bag  in  March,  those  who  can  spare  time  and 
money  would,  if  fond  of  this  description  of  shooting, 
find  ample  recompense  by  a  visit  across  the  Atlantic. 


A  BIG   BUCK.  89 


A   BIG   BUCK. 

In  the  autumn  of  186-,  when  traveling  across 
the  Grand  Prairie,  I  got  caught  in  the  first  snow- 
storm of  the  season.  The  vicinity  was  but  sparsely 
settled,  and  from  the  thickness  of  the  drift  our 
charioteer  lost  his  way,  and  after  getting  mired 
times  Avithout  number,  and  enduring  one  of  the 
most  disagreeable  nights  out  of  doors  it  is  possible 
to  imagine,  we  reached  the  village  of  Kent.  Under 
ordinary  circumstances  it  would  have  presented  no 
great  inducements,  but  the  large  wood  fire  that 
blazed  in  the  bar-room  of  the  diminutive  tavern, 
after  our  protracted  night  of  hardsliip,  possessed 
such  attractions,  that  I  determined  to  lie  over  for 
a  couple  of  days.  The  neighborhood  was  Avell 
stocked  Avith  game  I  learned  the  following  evening, 
when  I  presented  myself  among  the  habitues^  who 
commonly  made  this  public-house  their  place  of 
rendezvous  after  the  toils  of  the  day.  No  small 
portion  of  the  conversation  was  in  reference  to  a 
buck,  who  for  years  had  constantly  been  seen,  yet 


90  GUX,    ROD,    AND    SADDLE. 

none  of  the  heretofore  successful  hunters  had  been 
able  to  circumvent  him.  It  was  evident  that  this 
animal  was  of  no  ordinary  size,  as  he  was  dubbed 
by  all  with  the  sobriquet  of  the  big  buck,  and  one 
regular  old  leather-stocking,  whose  opinion  was 
always  listened  to  with  the  reverence  due  to  an 
authority,  ventured  to  assert  that  he  believed  the 
bullet  would  never  be  molded  that  would  tumble 
him  (the  buck)  in  his  tracks.  This  extraordinary 
deer  had  almost  escaped  my  memory,  and  I  was 
resting  over  my  next  morning's  pipe,  and  l)eginning 
to  fear  that  my  visit  was  longer  than  necessary,  for 
there  was  absolutely  nothing  to  do  but  eat  and 
sleep,  unless  the  prices  of  pork,  corn,  or  wheat  had 
possessed  an  interest ;  when  a  man  from  the  tim- 
ber land  arrived  with  a  load  of  wood,  and  held  the 
following  conversation  with  the  mixer  of  mint-juleps, 
cocktails,  etc.  "  Abe,  have  you  e'er  a  shooting-iron 
that  you  can  loan  this  coon  ?" 

Abe  having  replied  in  the  negative,  and  inquired 
the  reason,  was  told  that  the  most  alfiestest  big 
buck  ha<l  crossed  tlie  road  about  a  inik^  off,  and 
gone  into  the  Squire's  corn.*     Quietly  going  to  my 

*  Kvery  person  in  "Western  America  is  either  Squire  or 
Colonel. 


A    BIG    BUCK.  91 

bedroom,  I  unpacked  my  heaviest  gun,  a  ten  bore, 
in  wliom  I  have  particular  faitli,  and  having  noted 
the  route  that  the  teamster  had  come  by,  I  followed 
the  back  track  of  his  sled,  and  true  enough  found 
the  prints  of  a  very  heavy  buck.  The  day  was  still 
young,  myself  in  good  Avalking-trim,  and  with  an 
internal  determination  not  to  be  beaten,  except 
night  overtook  me,  and  very  probably  with  the  hope 
to  show  the  neio^hbors  that  a  Britisher  was  sjood 
for  some  purposes,  I  followed  the  track  with  un- 
usually willing  steps  and  light  heart.  To  get  into 
the  corn-field  the  buck  had  jumped  the  snake  fence 
and  afterward  doubled  back,  and  as  the  wind  did 
not  suit  for  me  to  enter  at  the  same  place,  I  made 
a  considerable  detour.  In  my  right  barrel  I  had 
sixteen  buck-shot,  about  the  size  that  would  run  one 
hundred  to  the  pound,  and  a  bullet  in  the  left.  As 
the  corn  had  not  yet  been  gathered,  and  the  under- 
growth of  cuckle-burs  and  other  weeds  was  tolerably 
dense ;  I  had  little  doubt  but  that  I  would  get 
sufficiently  close  to  make  use  of  the  former.  An 
old  stager  like  my  quarry,  I  knew  from  experience 
would  be  desperately  sharp,  so  with  the  utmost 
caution  I  advanced  up  wind,  eyes  and  ears  straine<l 
to   the  utmost   tension.     I   had   only  got   about   a 


92  GUN,    KOD,    AND    SADDLE. 

fourth  of  the  field  traversed,  when  I  heard  some 
voices  right  to  windward  encouraging  a  dog  to  hold 
a  pig.  The  noise  of  the  men,  dog,  and  porker,  I 
concluded  would  start  the  game  off  in  the  reverse 
direction,  so  hurriedly  retracing  my  steps,  I  regained 
the  fence,  got  over  it,  and  took  my  stand  at  an  angle 
that  stretched  close  to  a  slough  which  was  densely 
covered  with  a  growth  of  various  aquatic  weeds  and 
rushes.  In  about  five  minutes  after  gaining  my 
position,  I  was  greeted  by  a  sight  of  the  beauty, 
who  hopped  the  fence  where  there  was  a  broken 
rail,  and  gaining  the  opening,  for  a  moment  halted, 
then  tossing  up  his  head,  oftered  me  a  fair  cross- 
shot  nearly  eighty  yards  distant.  Pitching  my 
gun  well  in  front,  I  pulled  the  trigger,  and  well 
I  knew  not  fruitlessly,  for  he  gave  a  short  pro- 
tracted jnmp,  dropped  his  white  tail  close  into  his 
hams,  and  with  an  increased  pace  disappeared  in 
the  swamp. 

Unless  the  wound  was  mortal,  or  so  severe  as  to 
seriously  incommode  him,  I  was  certain  he  would  not 
be  satisfied  to  remain  in  such  close  propinquity  to 
danger,  so  after  reloading  I  made  a  detour  to  find 
wliere  he  had  left  this  cover  to  seek  one  more 
retired.     My  conjecture  was  correct,  for  after  travel- 


A   BIG   BrCK.  93 

ing  nearly  lialf-a-milc,  I  found  the  familiar  tell- 
tale track.  The  snow  was  in  pretty  good  order, 
both  for  tracking  and  walking,  and  I  did  not  let  tlic 
grass  grow  under  my  feet.  As  yet  I  had  seen  no 
signs  of  blood,  which  the  more  thoroughly  impressed 
me  that  my  lead  had  made  more  than  a  skin  Avound. 
In  about  an  hour's  walking,  I  found  myself  on  the 
edge  of  another  slough,  which  I  was  hesitating 
whether  to  enter  or  go  round,  when  I  espied  my 
friend,  some  way  beyond  range,  going  over  a  neigh- 
boring swell  of  the  prairie.  Of  course  I  cut  off 
the  angle  and  cast  forward  to  where  the  view  was 
obtained,  and  as  I  rose  the  swell,  in  the  distance 
I  saw  my  friend  at  a  stand-still,  evidently  anxiously 
scrutinizing  my  direction.  My  cap  was  of  a  very 
light  color,  so  I  concluded  he  did  not  see  me,  and 
my  supposition  was  again  correct,  for  after  a  few 
minutes  he  relaxed  his  pace,  and  turning  at  right 
angles,  walked  into  a  small  expanse  of  dense  rushes, 
interspersed  with  an  occasional  stunted  willow.  In 
deer  shooting,  if  you  suppose  an  animal  severely 
wounded,  never  hurry  him;  if  he  once  lie  down, 
and  you  give  him  time  to  stiffen,  you  will  not  have 
half  the  trouble  in  his  ultimate  capture  that  you 
would    have    by   constantly   keeping    him    ou    the 


94  GUN,    ROD,    AND    SADDLE. 

move.  So  I  practiced  in  this  instance;  carefully  for 
ten  or  fifteen  minutes  I  watched  that  he  did  not 
leave  the  cover;  then  having  concluded  that  he  had 
lain  down,  I  quietly  lit  my  pipe  and  dawdled  away 
an  hour  more.  Deeming  that  I  had  granted  suf- 
ficient law,  I  renewed  operations  and  pushed 
forward ;  the  track  was  A^ery  irregular  in  length 
of  pace  from  where  he  had  reduced  his  gait  to  a 
walk,  and  several  times  from  want  of  lifting  his 
feet  high  enough,  he  had  scuffed  the  surface  of  the 
snow  Avith  his  toes.  An  old  deer-stalker  will  know 
these  symptoms,  a  young  one  may  without  harm 
remember  them.  Having  cautiously  followed  the 
trail  three  parts  of  the  way  across  the  cover,  and 
almost  commenced  to  think  I  would  have  done 
better  by  waiting  half-an-hour  longer,  the  buck 
jumped  up  within  twenty  yards,  heading  straight 
from  me,  when  I  gave  him  the  contents  a  second 
time  of  the  right-hand  barrel  in  the  back  of  his 
head. 

The  distance  was  too  great  to  remove  him  home 
that  day,  so  cutting  a  branch  off  a  willow,  I  affixed 
my  handkerchief  to  it,  and  left  this  banner  waving 
to  denote  possession,  also  to  furnish  a  hint  to  the 
prairie  wolves  that  they  had  better  steer  clear.     That 


A   BIG   BUCK.  95 

night  at  the  tavern  bar  in  the  most  ostentations 
manner,  in  presence,  of  the  assembled  crowd,  I  order- 
ed a  team  to  be  got  ready  in  the  morning  to  bring 
in  the  big  buck ;  old  leather-stocking,  sotto  voce, 
remarking,  that  I  had  not  been  reared  on  the  light 
soil  to  be  able  to  come  that  game.  Howev^er,  next 
morning,  when  I  arrived  Avith  my  trophy,  tlie  crowd 
congratulated  me,  wliile  leather-stocking  remarked, 
that  he  knew  not  what  the  world  was  coming  to,  by 
G — d,  when  a  Britisher  with  a  bird  gun  could  kill 
the  biggest  buck  in  Illinois.  In  conclusion  I  would 
say,  that  in  skinning  we  found  tliat  at  the  first  shot 
one  grain  had  gone  through  the  lungs,  while  two 
more  had  lodged  farther  back.  The  gross  weight 
of  this  deer  was  one  hundred  and  eighty-four 
pounds. 


96  GUN,    KOD,    AND   SADDLE. 


BLACK    BASS. 

Ik  advocating  the  introduction  of  birds,  I  feel  I 
have  not  yet  performed  my  work ;  bear  with  me 
further,  and  grant  me  space  to  advocate  another 
introduction  that,  in  my  opinion,  deserves  the  favoi*- 
*able  attention  of  ail  lovers  of  the  gentle  art. 
Although  I  love  tlie  dog  and  gun,  still  I  am  equally 
devoted  to  the  rod.  As  every  season  has  its  beau- 
ties and  its  fascinations,  so  has  every  variety  of  field 
sports.  On  a  glorious  September  day,  what  can 
exceed  the  pleasure  of  following  a  brace  of  well- 
trained,  well'bred,  high-couraged  dogs  over  the 
golden  stubbles  ?  On  a  mild  spring  day,  with  a  soft 
southwest  breeze  and  dark  clouds  overhead,  can  any 
thing  be  more  delightful  than  following  the  tortuous 
course  of  a  trout  brook,  taking  from  pool  or  stream 
the  speckled  beauties,  or  knee-deep  in  a  rapid,  bois- 
terous river,  first  rising,  now  hooking,  and  perchance 
killing  the  glorious  salmon?  The  whirr  of  pheasant 
or  partridge  is  pleasant  music ;  the  voice  of  hounds 


BLAOK   BASS.  97 

is  not  less  so ;  but  the  screech  of  your  reel,  when 
first  you  are  fast  to  a  heavy  game-fish,  is  a  song  that 
even  Patti  herself  can  not  rival.  For  a  fish  to  be 
popular  among  fishermen,  he  must  have  three  requi- 
sites, viz.,  gameness  when  hooked,  boldness  in  feed- 
ing, and,  when  he  has  yielded  his  life,  be  a  fit  feast 
for  an  epicure.  All  these  requisites  I  claim  for  the 
black  bass :  and,  therefore,  presume  to  lay  his  claims 
for  introduction  before  your  numerous  readers. 
There  is  no  section  of  the  world  so  intersected  by 
rivers  and  lakes  as  the  Xorth  American  continent, 
and  in  nearly  all  these  waters,  from  northern  Canada 
to  the  tributaries  of  the  Mississippi,  and  the  various 
waters  that  flow  into  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  the  black 
bass  is  to  be  found.  It  matters  not  whether  it  be 
river  or  lake ;  whether  the  water  be  clear  or  muddy, 
stagnant  or  rapid ;  in  all  he  appears  equally  to 
flourish.  What  splendid  homes  could  we  ofier  him 
here  !  All  our  ornamental  waters,  though  generally 
unsuited  to  trout,  would  be  retreats  eminently  fitted 
to  his  nature  ;  and  the  fishermen,  instead  of  captur- 
ing such  common  pluckless  fish  as  bream,  tench, 
carp,  or  even  perch,  would  have  an  antagonist  that 
would  test  all  his  skill,  the  stoutness  and  endurance 

of  his  tackle,  with  that  untiring,  unflinching  resolu- 
5 


98 

tion  and  headstrong  energy  which  no  other  fresh- 
water fish  of  tlie  same  size,  I  believe,  possesses. 

,  The  black  bass  is  an  extremely  free  feeder,  and  is 
caught  in  all  the  various  ways  used  to  caj^ture  trout. 
He  rises  freely  at  the  fly ;  with  minnow  or  worm, 
craw-fish,  spoon  bait,  or  almost  any  artificial  device, 
he  can  be  taken.  On  being  hooked,  generally  the 
first  eflbrt  he  makes  for  freedom  is  to  spring  from 
the  water.  Look  out,  Mr.  Angler,  dij)  your  rod  in 
courtesy  to  him,  for  if  you  neglect  the  requisite 
salam,  your  acquaintance  will  probably  terminate. 
When  this  device  has  failed,  with  a  purpose  and 
force  alike  surprising,  he  makes  a  rush  for  parts  un- 
known, and  not  until  every  effort,  every  trick  is  put 
in  practice,  that  is  known  to  the  fish  family,  can  you 
get  the  slightest  chance  to  use  your  landing  net.  I 
have  frequently,  after  a  long  and  fierce  struggle, 
been  about  to  place  the  net  under  him,  but  the 
movement  was  enough  ;  though  aj^parently  exhaust- 

•  ed,  the  fish  took  a  new  lease  of  life,  and  a  further 
trial  of  patience  was  demanded  before  I  could  call 
the  i)rize  mine.  In  shape,  the  black  bas^  nincli  re- 
sembles a  Avell-fed  trout ;  but  is  deeper  and  tliicker 
made,  while  the  tail  is  remarkable  for 'its  breadth. 
Their  weight  \  aries  from  one  pound  to  five  pounds; 


BLACK   BASS.  99 

yet  on  the  Xiagara  River,  near  the  vilLage  of  Chippe- 
wa, I  captured  a  splendid  fellow,  quite  eight  pounds ; 
but  I  was  then  assured  that  I  had  reason  to  con- 
gratulate myself,  for  fish  of  such  a  size  were  far  from 
common.  The  color,  as  in  all  varieties  of  fish,  varies 
much.  In  clear  running  water  they  are  generally  a 
very  dark  green  upon  the  back  (much  such  a  shade 
as  the  darker  hues  in  mackerel),  gradually  getting 
lighter,  almost  to  white,  as  you  approach  the  abdo- 
men ;  but  in  those  Southern  waters,  which  are 
strongly  impregnated  with  alluvial  deposit,  and  con- 
sequently turbid,  the  back  of  these  bass  is  less 
brilliant  in  shade,  while  the  stomach  is  not  so  clear  a 
white.  A  still  further  advantage  that  may  recom- 
mend them  is,  that  they  are  in  season  when  trout 
should  not  be  killed.  In  spring  they  spawn,  the 
exact  time  varying  in  different  waters  on  account  of 
season  and  position  as  to  latitude. 

If  I  may  judge  from  the  quantity  of  spawn  the 
female  contains,  they  must  be  immensely  prolific ; 
for  although  the  individual  ovum  is  small,  the  roe  is 
very  large  in  proportion  to  the  bulk  of  the  fish. 
From  my  own  observation  and  inquiries,  I  believe 
that  the  spawn  is  from  sixteen  to  twenty  days  in 
maturing,  after  being  deposited,  which  would  give 


100  GUN,    ROD,    AND   SADDLE. 

ample  time  for  its  transportation  across  the  Atlantic. 
I  am  furtlier  of  opinion  that,  indiscriminately,  gravel 
or  soil  bottom  is  selected  on  which  to  deposit  the 
eggs ;  for  many  of  the  rivers  and  ponds  in  which  I 
have  captured  this  bass  flowed  through,  or  were 
situated  in  deep  bottom-lands,  where  a  stone,  even 
as  large  as  a  pebble,  would  be  difficult  to  find.  One 
pond  in  southern  Illinois  I  particularly  remember ; 
it  covered  a  space  of  about  thirty  acres,  with  an 
average  depth  of  about  three  feet,  except  in  the 
southern  extremity,  where  about  eight  feet  of  water 
could  be  found.  Tlie  bottom  was  entirely  composed 
of  mud  ;  yet  tliis  pond  swarmed  with  black  bass. 
Lake  Champlain,  the  St.  Lawrence,  and  Lake 
Ontario  (all  who  have  visited  these  regions  will 
remember)  are  remarkably  clear,  with  gravelly  or 
rocky  bottoms,  and  each  is  a  favorite  haunt  of  this 
fisli.  I  mention  this  to  prove  the  better  how  univer- 
sal a  favorite  and  extensive  liis  adoption  might 
become. 

A  friend,  once  a  resident  of  tlie  Isle  of  Skye,  and 
a  well-known  successful  trout  and  salmon  fisherman, 
had  a  beautiful  little  lake,  about  ten  acres  in  extent, 
on  his  estate,  not  many  miles  from  Toronto,  which 
he  had    ^Locked   with   black  bass.     In  a   lew  years 


BLACK   BASS.  101 

their  numbers  so  much  increased,  that  in  an  hour 
or  two,  trolling  of  an  evening,  a  dozen  or  more 
could  easily  be  taken.  This  lake  had  neither  outlet 
or  inlet,  but  was  supplied  with  water  from  springs  in 
the  bottom. 

I  fear  it  will  be  almost  deemed  heresy  to  place 
this  fish  on  a  par  with  the  trout;  at  least,  some 
such  idea  I  had  when  I  first  heard  the  two  com- 
pared ;  but  I  am  bold,  and  will  go  farther.  I 
consider  he  is  the  superior  of  the  two,  for  he  is 
equally  good  as  an  article  of  food,  and  much 
stronger  and  untiring  in  his  efforts  to  escape  when 
hooked. 

By  all  means  let  us  have  black  bass  introduced. 
I  feel  confident  this  fish  requires  but  to  be  known  to 
be  most  highly  appreciated. 


102  GUN,    ROD,    AND    SADDLE. 


HIS"TS   TO    YOUISrG   AE"GLEES. 

•I  CAN  not  hope  to  teach  the  expert,  but  I  doubt 
not  that  there  are  many  of  the  younger  readers  of 
this  little  work  who  may  be  assisted  in  taking 
a  larger  basket  of  fish  than  they  otherwise  would, 
by  a  knowledge  of  the  following  artifices,  which  I 
have  often  found  most  successful.  In  a  clear,  warm 
day,  at  the  termination  of  the  green  drake  season, 
when  the  trout  can  not  be  induced  to  rise  at .  the 
artificial  fly,  I  have  frequently  been  most  successful 
by  practicing  the  following  ruse^  viz.,  having  only  a 
trail  fly  on  your  casting-line  (which  should  be  very 
long  and  light),  make  it  slightly  fast  to  a  water-lily 
or  other  leaf;  having  marked  where  a  fish  is  feeding, 
go  up  stream  well  above  the  place,  and  guide, 
through  means  of  your  rod,  tlie  leaf,  so  that  it  will 
pass  close  by  the  spot,  taking  the  precaution  of 
using  a  long  line,  and  to  keep  as  much  out  of  sight 
as  possible ;  wlien  the  leaf  has  reached  the  trout's 
haunt,  by  a  slight  strike  disengage  your  fly  from 


HINTS   TO   YOUNG   ANGLERS.  103 

tlie  leaf,  so  that  it  will  drop  in  the  water,  and  but 
seldom  will  the  fish  hesitate  to  rise,  and  on  such 
occasions  will  yourself  fail  to  strike  successfully. 
Kow  for  hint  number  two :  when  I  have  been  unable 
to  get  a  strike  minnow  fishing,  I  have  stimulated  the 
trout's  appetite,  by  taking  a  worm  and  hooking  it 
transversely  across  the  center,  so  that  when  your 
minnow  is  put  on,  both  sides  of  the  worm  hang  on 
eithcF  side  of  his  head.  If  fish  reason,  I  suppose 
they  thus  argue :  That  fellow  is  going  off  with  a 
prize ;  if  he  was  not  in  good  health,  he  would 
scarcely  have  such  a  voracious  appetite.  It's  evident 
Mister  Fisherman  has  played  no  tricks  on  this  chap. 
So  at  him  he  goes,  and  tyro's  basket  becomes 
heavier  by  another  fish.  Xot  to  keenness  but  to 
accident  I  made  this  discovery.  I  had  fished  most 
unsuccessfully  for  several  hours,  having  changed 
from  worm  to  minnow  and  vice  versa  /  in  one  of 
these  alterations,  being  careless  from  want  of  suc- 
cess, some  worm  was  left  on  the  shank  of  the  hook 
after  I  reverted  to  the  minnow:  the  hint  was  not 
lost,  and  often  afterward  practiced. 


104  GCN,   KOD,    AND   SADDLE. 


THE    AMEEICA]::^    THOEOUGH- 
BRED . 

I  TiiiXK  that  few  will  disagree  with  me  that 
horse-racing  was  established,  not  alone  for  the 
amusement  it  affords,  but  for  the  encouragement  of 
breeding  a  superior  stamp  of  animal,  alike  capable 
of  speed  and  endurance.  Of  late  years  the  former 
quality  has  been  the  desideratum,  and  to  so  great  a 
pitch  has  it  come  through  light  weights,  short  races, 
&c.,  that  the  most  useless,  as  far  as  utility  purposes 
may  be  considered,  are  patronized  for  sires.  The 
result  is,  what  would  have  been  deemed  a  race-horse 
a  quarter  of  a  century  ago,  is  now  thouglit  a  hunter 
at  best,  while  what  our  fathers  ^^ould  have  con- 
demned as  a  weedy  tucked-up  brute,  we,  with  our 
advanced  views  of  civilization,  call  a  race-horse. 
8peed  for  a  short  distance  is  what  all  harp  after,  and 
if  stamina  with  speed  can  not  be  obtained,  tlio  more 
useful  quality  is  neglected,  or  entirely  sacriticed,  for 
a   second   less   time   in   a   mile   race.     Double    the 


THE   AMERICAN    TIIOEOrGH-BRED.  105 

length  of  the  race — make  the  course  two  miles 
instead  of  one — and  which  woukl  be  first  at  the 
winning-post  ? — or,  still  better,  make  the  race  three 
miles,  and  I  much  doubt  if  the  weed  would  come 
home  at  all,  leave  alone  save  his  distance. 

Much  injury  is  doubtless  done  our  horses  by 
running  them  long  before  they  reach  maturity.  If 
you  take  a  growing  boy  and  over-tax  his  strength, 
what  Avill  be  the  result  ?  A  wreck  before  he  reaches 
manhood.  So  it  is  with  our  thorough-bred  colts  and 
fillies.  They  are  forced  forward  like  hot-house 
plants,  prematurely  reach  maturity  of  form,  when 
they  are  put  to  work  trying  even  to  aged  animals, 
their  muscular  development  being  still  soft  and 
imset,  and  consequently  unequal  to  the  task,  caus- 
ing a  broken-down  cripple  at  the  very  time  when, 
if  permitted  to  have  followed  Nature's  dictates,  the 
2ioor  creature  would  have  rejoiced  in  all  the  per- 
fections of  beauty  that  charm  the  eye  and  tell  of 
speed  and  endurance.  What  an  every-day  occurrence 
it  is  to  hear  of  such  and  such  a  colt,  immense 
favorites  with  the  public  from  their  success  as 
two-year  olds,  being  scratched?  And  why?  In 
some    closely-contested    struggle,  when    flesh    and 

blood  was  doing  its   utmost,  under  whip  and  spur, 
5* 


106 

a  yet  further  exertion  Avas  called  for,  and  from  the 
effort  a  strain  or  injury  was  received  wliich  time 
ultimately  developed  ;  and  thus  the  flower  of  the 
stable,  the  hope  of  the  owner,  is  thrown  out  of 
work,  ultimately  to  descend  through  the  gradations 
from  •pampered  pet  to  over- wrought  cab-horse. 
True,  it  is  not  unfreqnently  the  lot  of  man  to 
undergo  the  same  vicissitudes  of  fortune  ;  but  he 
invariably  lias  some  hand  in  altering  his  position. 
But  the  poor  horse  eanis  degradation  through  his 
endeavor  to  serve  a  selfish  master  too  avcII. 

The  Americans  are  justly  considered  close  observ- 
ers and  an  essentially  practical  people,  possessed 
with  that  energy  which  has  long  characterized  this 
their  mother  people.  From  being  originally  thrown 
in  a  new  land,  wliere  every  effort  and  resource  had 
to  be  employed  to  raise  them  to  the  standard  of 
older  countries,  constant  required  attention  to  all 
the  details  of  life,  through  numerous  generations, 
has  made  them  Avliat  they  are,  inferior  to  none,  and 
far,  far  ahead  of  many  European  powers  wlio  can 
date  their  existence  back  numerous  centuries.  At 
an  early  age  the  inlierent  love  of  Englislimen  for 
horse-racing  showed  itself  in  America;  and  as  might 
be  expected,  when  the  importation  of  thorough-bred 


THE    AMERICAN   THOROUGF-BRED.  107 

stock  took  place,  such  judgment  was  employed,  that 
the  best  animals  that  could  be  obtained  in  England 
■were  only  introduced.  Unfortunately,  however, 
ra-cing  got  into  bad  repute,  from  the  number  of 
maavals  siijets  it  attracted,  and  although  the 
Southern  gentlemen  did  their  utmost  to  cleanse 
away  the  stain,  the  fanatical  puritanical  spirit  of 
many  Northern  States,  tabooed  the  institution  for 
years ;  thus  it  only  had  a  partial  existence,  and 
but  few  horses  were  imported,  and  those  always 
to  the  Soutli;  but  if  the  number  was  small,  the 
selections  were  the  more  carefully  made.  However, 
again  a  revival  took  place,  principally  at  first 
through  the  instrumentality  of  the  late  Mr.  Atchi- 
son Alexander,  of  Woodford,  Kentucky,  and  latterly 
through  the  eiforts  of  Mr.  Jerome,  of  New  York ; 
so  that  at  the  present  date  almost  every  State 
boasts  one  or  two  race-courses,  where  as  fine  racing 
can  be  enjoyed  as  at  home.  From  an  innate  love 
of  the  horse,  I  not  only  visited  the  majority  of  the 
American  races,  but  obtained  the  entree  to  many 
of  the  training  and  breeding  establishments ;  thus 
gaining  opportunities  of  forming  opinions,  that 
defective  judgment  alone  would  cause  to  be  in- 
correct.    One   only  of   these  establishments  will  I 


108  GUN,    ROD,    AND    SADDLE. 

mention,  because  I  was  more  conversant  with  it, 
not  because  it  was  either  the  largest  or  most  replete 
with  conveniences, — that  of  Mr.  Sanford,  in  Xew 
Jersey,  about  thirty  miles  from  the  metropolis. 
This  gentleman  had  a  large  number  of  all  ages 
at  work,  all  his  own,  for  he  was  not  a  public  trainer, 
but  a  person  of  affluence,  loving  the  horse  for  his 
beauty  and  use,  and  running  them  with  the  hope 
that  if  they  were  entitled  to  the  laurels  they  would 
bear  them.  In  close  proximity  to  his  stables  was 
his  private  training-ground,  and  the  buildings  were 
replete  with  every  convenience  that  ingenuity,  art, 
or  money  could  supply.  In  looking  over  his  pets, 
numerous  descendants  of  im}?.  Hedgeford,  Glencoe, 
Knight  of  St.  George,  &c.,  were  found,  all  good 
ones,  as  some  old  memories  will  recall,  and  closely 
allied  to  the  American-bred  cracks,  Lexington, 
Boston,  Kentucky,  and  Asteroid.  One  thing  that 
can  not  fail  to  strike  the  English  visitors,  is  the 
much  greater  amount  of  stamina  that  all  appear 
to  possess  over  our  home-bred  animal ;  and  I  am 
inclined  to  believe  that  this  is  not  only  show.  I 
am  aware  that  an  English  nobleman,  probably  the 
most  successful  of  modern  times  on  the  turf, 
thought    the   same,  and    in  consequence  introduced 


THE    AMERICAN   THOEOUGn-BRED.  109 

a  stallion.  However,  the  importation  did  not  turn 
out  a  success;  but  might  he  not  liave  been  injured 
in  the  voyage,  or  the  purchaser  been  wrong  in  liis 
selection  ?  To  successfully  clear  a  rasper,  there  is 
nothing  like  going  boldly  at  it ;  so,  without  further 
preamble,  I  believe  that  the  introduction  of  a  good 
American  stallion  would  be  beneficial  to  those  who 
want  to  breed  weight-carrying,  fast,  lasting  horses. 

Three  or  four  miles  is  no  unfrequent  distance  for 
a  race  to  be  run  across  the  Atlantic,  and  it  has 
always  struck  me  how  wonderfully  game  all  ap- 
peared to  finish,  something  like  the  Irishman's  car- 
horse,  a  spurt  always  remaining  to  take  your  honor 
to  the  hall-door. 

The  Americans  run  their  youngsters  in  their  two- 
year-old  form,  but  the  weights  up  are  very  light,  the 
distances  short,  and  the  ordeal  seldom  required 
oftener  than  three  or  four  times  in  a  season; 
therefore  the  occasion  of  accident  that  our  colts 
of  the  same  age  sufter  from  is  matenally  reduced ; 
in  fact,  if  scratching  in  the  United  States  was  as 
frequent  as  here,  where  the  number  of  entries  does 
not  exceed  one-fourth  of  ours,  they  would  have  few 
or  no  horses  show  at  the  post. 

For  three  and  four  year  olds,  the  old  system  of 


110 

heats  is  much  in  vogue ;  no  bad  one,  let  me  say, 
for  proving  endurance ;  and  liere  again  I  was  much 
pleased  with  the  gameness  with  which  the  con- 
testants always  re-o i;sembled.  At  Seacaucus,  near 
Kew  York,  there  is  a  bi-annual  meeting ;  the  estab- 
lishment is  superintended  by  a  most  hospitable, 
kind-hearted  old  Virginian,  whose  heart  is  in  his 
work.  I  attended  one  of  the  meetings  here,  in 
which  a  son  of  Knight  of  St.  George  won  a  heat 
race;  it  was  so  closely  contested,  and  so  gamely 
finished,  that  it  even  now  warms  my  blood  while  I 
write  of  it.  The  winner  was  a  dark  bay,  wonder- 
fully compact  in  build,  with  a  few  gray  hairs  at  the 
setting  on  of  the  tail,  so  common  a  mark  of  many 
of  his  family.  What  a  charger,  I  thought  to  my- 
self, he  would  make ;  nor  do  I  believe  I  was 
far  wrong.  That  day  this  horse  proved  himself  a 
good  one  at  long  distances,  and  in  heats,  but  he  has 
also  made  his  mile  in  one  minute  and  forty-six 
seconds — reliable  time.  Xow,  this  horse,  Knight- 
hood by  name,  if  I  remember  correctly,  liad  nol 
been  galloped  oft'  his  feet  when  a  two-year  old,  or 
he  never  could  have  undergone  successfully  the 
trial  he  endured  on  the  occasion  mentioned.  At 
Paterson,  Xew  Jersey,  I  witnessed  another  closely 


THE   AMERICAN   THOROUGH-BEED.  Ill 

contested  heat  mce ;  the  winner  was  a  marc  of  Mr. 
Sanford's,  called  Nanny  Butler ;  she  was  an  nn- 
conimonly  well-put-together  undersized  nag,  but 
with  the  most  unsightly  height  of  withers ;  five 
heats  had  to  be  run  before  tlie  race  was  decided. 
The  mare  was  ridden  by  a  well-known  veteran 
jockey,  black  as  my  hat ;  his  reputation  was  great, 
and  that  day  proved  not  without  reason ;  still  a 
good  jockey  can't  land  a  bad  mount  first,  although 
a  good  jockey  can  materially  assist  a  good  horse. 
At  the  start,  the  odds  were  heavy  against  her,  and 
when  she  was  declared  winner,  not  the  mare,  .but 
the  rider,  got  the  credit  from  the  shrewd  public. 
\Yhy  not  have  divided  the  praise  ?  But  such  is  too 
frequently  the  way  of  the  world.  Xovr,  if  Xanny 
had  been  run  to  death — or  I  will  say  had  done  the 
work  of  Achievement  in  her  two-year  old  form — is 
it  reasonable  to  suppose  that  she  would  have  gamely 
and  uninjured  finished  as  winner  the  last  and  fifth 
heat  of  a  two-mile-heat  race  ? 

I  was  in  New  York  when  the  beautiful  Jerome 
Park  race-course  was  to  be  opened.  Kentucky  was 
then  the  acknowledged  crack  of  Eastern  stables, 
but  away  south  of  the  Ohio  River  was  his  half- 
brother,  both  being  sons  of  the  famous    Lexington. 


112 

Wonderful  nunoi's  liad  reached  the  Atlantic  sea- 
board of  what  the  Western  rcj^resentative  could  do. 
For  a  long  time  it  was  doubtful  whether  this  great 
gun  would  put  in  an  appearance.  So  Kentucky 
was  backed  at  immense  odds  for  the  gf'reat  event — • 
the  Inauguration  Stakes.  At  length  a  telegraph  ar- 
rived, announcing  the  intention  of  Mr.  Alexander  to 
forward  his  liorse  Asteroid.  Public  opinion  became 
divided,  but,  as  is  generally  the  case,  drifted  back  to 
the  home  favorite.  Asteroid  arrived  a  few  days  be- 
fore the  meeting,  but  unfortunately  broke  down; 
however,  I  availed  myself  of  an  opportunity  to  in- 
spect him,  and  such  a  horse  I  have  seldom  looked 
at — a  hunter  up  to  fourteen  stone  across  any  country 
— yet  there  was  not  a  single  gross  point  about  him. 
To  what  his  mishap  could  be  attributed,  few  could 
say ;  but  I  learned  that,  for  an  American  horse,  he 
had  done  an  unusual  amount  of  work  in  his  younger 
days. 

Kentucky,  the  most  successful,  and  possibly  the 
best  horse  that  has  been  produced  in  America  in 
modern  days,  although  differing  in  color,  is  very 
much  like  ]31air  Atholc  in  form,  very  showy  and 
cocky  in  his  action,  and  of  most  desirable  temper. 
lie  has,  I  believe,  only  once  been  beaten,  and  then 


THE    AMERICAN    THOEOUGH-BEED.  113 

by  N'orfolk,  a  half-brother,  who  was  shortly  after- 
w^ard  transported  to  the  Pacific  slope ;  however,  this 
defeat  was  to  be  attributed  to  (as  I  have  been  in- 
formed by  a  most  reliable  person)  being  out  of  con- 
dition. He  is  also  a  son  of  Lexington,  and  therefoi'e 
claims  relationship  to  Boston  and  Imp.  Glencoe, 
ancestors  to  whom  he  truly  does  no  discredit.  I 
have  seen  Kentucky  run  several  times,  but  always 
w^as  he  so  immensely  superior  to  his  antagonists,  that 
the  race  was  quite  one-sided.  At  Saratoga,  I  believe, 
on  one  occasion,  his  jockey  pricked  him,  but  I  much 
doubt  if  such  was  necessary. 

Lexington  I  have  frequently  mentioned ;  I  much 
reoTct  that  I  for^'et  his  o'enealoojical  tree.  As  a  sire 
and  race-horse,  his  superior  in  the  Western  hemisphere 
was  never  produced.  One  performance  was  his  run- 
ning at  the  Great  State  Race  onMetaire  course,  New 
Orleans,  a  four-mile-heat  race,  in  which  one  of  the 
heats  w^as  made  in  Y  minutes  19f  seconds — a  perform- 
an(*e  his  owner  might  well  be  proud  of — for  I  can 
iind  no  record  of  its  being  excelled  ;  and  it  must  be 
remembered  that  American  time  is  always  correctly 
taken  by  reliable  persons,  and  publislied  at  the  end 
of  each  heat  or  race.  Lexington  still  lives,  and  is 
the  sire  of  numerous  progeny,  many  of  whom  I  know, 


114  GUN,    ROD,    AND    SADDLE. 

and  all  except  one  who  shall  be  nameless,  are  not  only 
fast,  but  enduring  horses. 

In  conclusion,  whether  the  American  thorough-bred 
is  as  fast  as  ours  would  be  difficult  to  decide  ;  but 
that  he  is  a  most  lasting,  enduring,  game  horse,  I  can 
assert,  a  proof  that  the  Americans  have  nat  forgotten, 
in  the  universal  mania  of  the  age  for  fastness,  the 
desideratum  endurance — the  sine  qud  non  for  utility. 


now   TO   CAPTUEE   GEAT   MULLET.  115 


HOW     TO    CAPTUEE    GEAT 
AIULLET. 

Often  I  have  stood  on  the  fluvial  portion  of  a  riv- 
er and  watched  the  gray  mullet  freely  sporting  on  the 
surface.  Numerous  were  the  eiforts  T  made  to  catch 
these  ^Yi\y  gentry  with  hook  and  line ;  but  all  over- 
tures were  rejected,  and  the  fish  preferred  declining 
the  bait  to  leaving  their  element.  The  gray  mullet 
feeds  principally  on  the  surface,  more  particularly  in 
warm  weather,  and  as  they  are  remarkably  shy  and 
gifted  with  but  small  mouths,  with  a  preference  to 
sucking  in  the  bait,  to  freely  swallowing  like  trout  or 
others,  the  difficulties  in  the  way  of  capturing  them 
are  obvious,  and  hence  I  will  explain  a  method  some 
might  call  poaching,  but  really  no  more  so  than 
trimmer  fishing  ;  in  truth,  it  is  much  more  excusable, 
for  by  the  latter  you  capture  fish  that  freely  take 
the  hook,  while  on  the  other  hand  you  ensnare 
rogues  that  all  your  skill  and  patience  will  fail 
otherwise  to  bring  to  bag.     Obtain  a  piece  of  flat 


116  GUN,    KOD,    AND    SADDLE. 

cork  about  one  inch  in  depth  and  the  size  of  a 
regular  ship  biscuit ;  have  a  pouch  made  of  coarse 
gauze,  in  which  a  slice  of  bread,  the  size  of  the  cork 
can  be  j^laced,  the  gauze  retaining  the  bread  flat 
against  the  cork.  From  the  margin  of  the  cork 
suspend  around  the  bread  a  dozen  hooks,  about  the 
size  of  those  usually  employed  in  trout  bait  fishing, 
these  hooks,  to  be  tied  on  strons^  grut,  six  inches  lono^, 
and  on  the  points  of  a  few  of  them  a  small  dice  of 
bread  should  be  placed.  Armed  with  half  a  dozen 
of  these  infernal  machines,  and  provided  with  a 
landing  net,  go  in  your  boat  above  where  the  mullet 
are  known  to  resort,  drop  your  corks  in  the  water, 
about  eight  or  ten  yards  apart,  scattering  some 
crumbs  among  them,  and  let  the  tide  or  current  float 
them  to  the  fish,  keeping  the  boat  a  good  way  in  the 
rear.  Don't  be  in  a  hurry,  the  fish  will  not  keep 
you  long  waiting ;  each  float  will  soon  be  surrounded, 
and  when  the  mullet  find  that  they  can  not  carry 
away  the  bread  wholesale,  they  will  knock  the  floats 
with  their  noses,  slap  them  with  their  tails,  and  in  a 
few  seconds  you  Avill  have  a  prize  on  each  trimmer, 
liooked  by  back,  tail,  or  side.  If  the  captives  run 
large  much  sport  will  be  enjoyed  in  retaking  your 
floats,  for  it  is  wonderful  how  Ion  or  a  four  or  five 


now   TO    CAPTURE   GRAY   MULLET.  117 

pound  fish  will  manage  to  avoid  you.  This  method 
I  have  practiced  often,  both  in  smooth  and  rongh 
water,  and  never  without  meeting  with  the  greatest 
success,  not  only  with  the  gray  mullet  but  many 
other  species. 


118  GUN,    KOD,    AND   SADDLE. 


THE  PiN]:>TATED   GROUSE. 

(tetrao  cupido.) 

The  first  pheasant  I  killed  in  China  I  thought  the 
noblest  game-bird  that  ever  I  had  pnlled  a  trigger 
npon,  and  truly  he  was  a  beauty ;  the  plumage  was 
in  the  most  perfect  state — the  neck  of  the  greenest 
emerald,  the  riug  of  the  purest  white,  the  tail  the 
longest,  and  the  different  shades  and  tints  of  wings 
and  body  the  very  brightest  I  had  ever  seen  in  one 
of  his  species;  moreover,  he  weighed  nearly  one-half 
more  than  any  of  the  same  family  1  had  killed  at 
liome,  and  to  add  additional  appreciation,  the  shot 
that  brought  him  to  the  ground  was  a  difficult  one 
and  at  long  range.  For  years  the  pheasant  of  tlie 
southern  portion  of  China  reigned  paramount  in  my 
opinion  ;  but  a  change  has  come  over  my  ideas,  and 
now  su])erlative  before  all  others,  I  |)lace  two  varie- 
ties of  ^Vmerican  game-birds.  What  days  of  pleasure 
have  I  had  in  the  })ursuit  of  piimated  grouse;  what 
splendid   bags  have   I   made,   and   on   such   grou'nd 


THE   PTXXATED   GROUSE.  119 

as  gave  my  darling  companion  setters  the  very  best 
opportunities  of  showing  their  sagacity  and  careful 
education  to  the  greatest  advantage.  In  my  previ- 
ous notice  of  the  ruffed  grouse  {I'efrao  iimbelli(s)^  I 
have  stated  that  I  do  not  believe  this  bird  (the  pin- 
nat-ed  grouse)  so  Avorthy  of  acclimatization  as  the 
last  mentioned ;  and  why  ?  he  disregards  distance 
in  his  late  autumnal  flights  ;  and  therefore  where 
shooting  ranges  are  limited  by  bounds,  unless  the 
proprietors  on  every  side  would  mutually  agree  for 
their  introduction  and  protection,  I  fear  that  the 
labors  of  one  landowner  in  introducing  and  propa- 
gating them  would  be  fraught  with  dissatisfaction, 
as  his  neighbors  would  enjoy  almost  as  much  as 
himself  the  benefit  of  his  expense  and  trouble.  But 
for  all  that,  the  pinnated  grouse  is  most  worthy  of 
our  attention ;  he  is  truly  a  most  noble  bird,  and 
affords  the  sportsman  the  best  of  sport,  till  the 
cold  winds  preceding  winter  cause  him  to  pack,  in 
the  same  manner  as  our  red  and  black  game,  when 
their  wariness  becomes  so  great  that  naught  but 
quick  shooting  and  Ely's  green  cartridges  arc  likely 
to  help  the  laborer  to  produce  a  bag  remunerative 
for  his  toil.  That  this  bird  could  be  acclimated  here 
there  is  no  doubt,  for  he  is  capable  of  withstanding 


120  GUN)    EOD,    AND    SADDLE. 

great  cliaiiges  of  temperature ;  is  not  particular  as 
to  choice  of  ground  as  long  as  it  is  o^^en  ;  and  plenty 
of  grain  and  grass  seed  can  be  obtained.  Although 
liis  range  is  now  principally  confined  to  the  prairie 
country  of  the  United  States,  not  being  found  in 
great  numbers  till  the  edge  of  the  Grand  Prairie  is 
reached,  still  formerly  he  was  found  equally  abund- 
ant all  over  the  open  lands;  still,  however,  Long 
Island  and  the  island  of  Martha's  Vineyard  possess 
some  remnants,  who  long  since  would  liave  disap- 
peared but  for  the  protection  and  care  of  the  land- 
owners in  those  places,  who  have  endeavored  to 
prevent  if  possible  the  extinction  of  this  valuable 
bird  upon  their  estates.  I  can  not  well  imagine  any 
place  so  bleak  in  winter  as  the  scrub  uplands  of 
the  tAv^o  aforementioned  islands,  unless,  perhaps.  Mull 
and  Jura  on  the  Scotch  coast.  The  bird  that  could 
with  impunity  withstand  the  rigors  of  the  cold  in  the 
foi-mer  could  doubtless  with  impunity  do  the  same 
in  tlie  latter.  The  pinnated  grouse  pairs  in  March, 
and  generally  produces  from  twelve  to  fourteen 
young  at  a  brood ;  the  chicks  very  early  take  to 
the  wing,  but  their  flight  is  weak  and  sliort  until 
they  are  more  than  half  grown.  During  the  infanc}'- 
of  the  family,  the  courage  and  artifice  of  the  parent 


THE    PINNATED    GEO  USE.  121 

bird  to  intimidate  or  draw  off  intruders  is  worthy  of 
notice.  At  first  she  will  fly  toward  you  as  if  intent 
on  doing  you  battle,  but  when  this  course  has  foiled, 
she  will  retire,  droop  her  wings,  struggle  on  the 
ground,  only  just  keeping  beyond  your  grasp,  always 
moving  in  a  direction  contrary  to  where  her  brood 
are  hid,  until  parent  instinct  tells  her  that  the  chil- 
dren are  safe,  when  suddenly  on  strong  wings  she 
will  start  for  a  distant  flight.  The  facility  with 
which  the  young  secrete  themselves  is  most  surpris- 
ing. Frequently  have  I  got  unexpectedly  into  the 
center  of  a  family,  when  up  they  would  rise  like  a 
flight  of  bees  and  as  rapidly  drop  again;  certainly 
you  see  the  exact  spot  on  which  they  have  alighted 
— that  tuft  of  grass  you  believe  most  surely  con- 
tains one,  but  search  as  you  will,  turn  over  care- 
fully every  blade,  look  well  about  the  roots — all  is 
useless,  for  no  fledgeling  will  you  And. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  pairing  season,  par- 
ticularly if  the  weather  is  calm  and  cloudy,  the  male 
birds  will  be  heard  calling  all  day ;  their  note  re- 
sembling the  lowing  of  a  cow,  vrhich  can  be  heard 
distinctly  for  over  a  mile.  At  this  time  fierce-look- 
ing encounters  appear  to  take  place,  but  I  am  inclined 
to  believe  that  their  tights  are  all  a  sham,  performed 


122 

to  show  themselves  to  the  greatest  advantage  before 
tlie  admhing  ladies  who  assemble  around  ;  for  I  liave 

.  never  been  able  to  find  a  maimed  hero,  and  seldom 
more  than  a  broken  feather  resulting  from  the  con- 
test. As  tlie  spring  advances  they  restrict  their  call- 
ing to  evening  and  morning,  and  by  the  time  the 
brood  is  hatched,  cease  it  altogether.  The  peculiar- 
ity of  the  call  of  the  males  of  this  species  is  sucli, 
that  once  heard,  it  is  difficult  to  forget,  particularly 
when  softened  by  distance;  it  is  produceed  by  for- 
cing the  air  out  of  two  orange-colored  receptacles 
placed  on  eitlier  side  of  the  throat,  and  whicli,  when 
inflated,  are  as  lai'ge  in  circumference  as  a  man's  fin- 
ger, perfectly  free  from  feathers  upon  their  surface, 
but  hid  when  in  a  state  of  quiescence  by  fan-shaped 
bunches  of  hackles  that  completely  cover  them."' 

The  pinnated  grouse  is  about  the  size  of  our  i)]ieas- 
ant ;  however,  they  ditfer  considerably,  those  birds 
that  inhabit  southern  Illinois  being  at  least  one-fourth 

1  larger  than  tliose  obtained  in  Minnesota,  AVisconsin, 
and  tlie  northwest  prairies.  They  are  of  a  beautiful 
mottled  brown  and  fawn  color,  frecpiently  witli  wliite 
finger-marks  on  the  uj)per  portion  of  the  wings  and 

*  Tho  most  killiug  hackles  for  tying  trout-ilios. 


I 


THE   PINNATED    GKOrSE.  123 

back,  are  feathered  down  the  legs  to  the  feet,  have 
beautifully  set-on  small  heads,  with  a  slight  crest,  and 
bright  yellow  iris.  When  standing,  their  attitude  is 
very  erect,  but  graceful,  while  their  flight  is  strong 
and  swift,  more  especially  late  in  the  season.  On 
being  flushed,  they  invariably  cackle,  and  the  first 
flight,  except  of  young  birds,  is  always  long.  In  the 
commencement  of  the  season,  and  in  fact  as  long  as 
the  weather  is  bright  and  mild,  they  lie  remarkably 
well  to  dogs ;  but  as  soon  as  severe  and  cold  weath- 
er sets  in,  they  pack  and  become  wild.  However, 
late  in  October,  if  you  should  lilt  upon  a  warm,  sum- 
mer-like day,  the  birds  will  lie  so  remarkably  close 
between  the  hours  of  10  a.  ii.  and  3  p.m.,  that  mar- 
velous bags  can  be  made. 

As  a  delicacy,  this  bird  can  favorably  compare 
with  any  of  the  grouse  family,  but  is  dissimilar  in  one 
respect  from  all  the  others,  for  the  sooner  it  is 
cooked  after  being  killed,  the  more  delicate  and 
savory  it  will  be  found.  /Even  the  skill  of  Delmo- 
nico,  in  New  York,  the  justly  celebrated  restaurant 
proprietor,  with  all  his  knowledge  of  cuisine^  can  not 
impart  the  flavor  that  the  same  bird  would  have 
had  from  the  hands  of  the  most  ignorant  cook,  pro- 
vided it  was  served  a  few  hours  after  it  was  killed. 


124  Gr^,    KOD,    AND    SADDLE. 

The  pinnated  grouse  can  easily  be  domesticated. 
Mr.  Audubon,  the  naturalist,  for  some  time  kept  quite 
a  number  in  a  walled  garden,  where  they  became 
as  tame  as  domestic  fowls ;  nor  do  I  believe  there 
would  be  any  difficulty  in  transporting  them  across 
the  Atlantic.  To  gentlemen  stocking  preserves,  or 
desirous  of  being  able  to  show  a  great  variety  of 
game  upon  their  estate,  I  believe  this  magnihcent 
member  of  the  grouse  genus  well  worthy  of  attentioji. 


FISHING   AT    GIBRALTAE.  125 


riSHIIS"G   AT   GIBEALTAE. 

Dear  old  Gibraltar,  much  as  thou  art  frequently 
railed  at,  I  believ^e  the  faults  are  more  imaginary 
than  real.  Englishmen  are  grumblers  proverbially 
and  truly,  more  particularly  the  untraveled  speci- 
mens. Transport  them  once  away  from  native  soil, 
and  nothing  that  they  see  or  make  use  of  is  equal 
to  what  is  to  be  had  at  home.  I  am  almost  inclined 
to  believe  that  there  is  a  spirit  of  discontent  in  tlie 
breed,  for  our  cousins  across  the  Atlantic,  although 
to  a  less  degree,  are  strongly  pregnated  with  the 
same  peculiarity.  Why  is  it  that  you  seldom  find 
one  who  is  doing  garrison  duty  at  Gibraltar  who  does 
not  sigh  for  change ;  true !  you,  if  a  subaltern,  have 
more  guards  to  keep,  and  in  the  cool  season  an 
overplus  of  brigade  days,  still  you  have  your  hounds, 
who,  although  they  do  not  kill  wlienever  they  meet, 
afford  plenty  of  fun  ;  you  haA^e  numerous  pretty 
rides  open  to  you  into  Spain,  and  if  a  fisherman  or 
shot,  sport    can   both    be  obtained  in  the  bay  and 


126 

over  the  straits  in  the  vicinity  of  Tangiers  quite  as 
good  as  you  probably  enjoyed  at  home,  unless  you 
had  the  privilege  of  a  well-stocked  salmon  river  or 
carefully  preserved  demesne.  Although  I  am  certain 
this  garrison  is  seldom  witliout  numerous  followers 
of  old  Izaak  Walton,  yet  I  dare  bet  that  few  have 
essayed  their  art  while  there — why,  I  can  not  say — 
for  although  I  did  constantly,  I  never  met  a  compan- 
ion, and  more  the  pity;  for  fishing  (that  is,  sea-fish- 
ing) is  here  to  be  obtained  of  the  greatest  excellence. 
The  New  Mole,  where  vessels  obtain  their  requi- 
site fuel,  used  to  be  a  favorite  haunt  of  mine,  more 
j^articularly  on  those  serene,  romantic  nights  peculiar 
to  the  Mediterranean,  when  with  my  light  fly-rod  and 
a  small  brilliant  artificial  minnow  attached  to  very 
light  tackle,  I  used  to  capture  dozens  of  a  beautiful 
little  fish,  of  the  mackerel  family,  there  called  horse- 
mackerel  ;  true  they  were  not  large,  seldom  exceed- 
ing nine  or  ten  inches  in  length,  but  then  they  were 
so  game,  giving  as  much  sport  as  a  half-pound  trout, 
before  you  could  safely  land  them  on  terra  firma  ;  and 
when  fisliing  for  these  resplendent  little  beauties,  you 
would  occasionally  hook  a  monster,  when  your  oidy 
option  was  to  give  him  the  butt,  place  a  check  on  your 
line,  and  force  the  weak  portion  of  your  tackle  to 


FISniXG    AT    GIBKALTAR.  127 

pfirt.  So  often  did  this  occur  to  me,  that  I  determined 
to  go  armed  for  emergencies;  and  having  obtained 
a  most  powerful  bamboo-rod  and  attached  a  sal- 
mon reel,  with  a  sardine  for  bait,  I  determined  to  try 
tlie  results,  nor  was  I  long  kept  in  suspense ;  the  rush 
came,  line  was  given,  but  all  of  no  avail,  for  the  hoped- 
for  captive  refused  to  be  taken,  and  the  loss  of  hooks 
and  leader  followed.  A  dozen  times  I  made  the 
essay,  and  a  dozen  times  the  results  were  similar. 
What  those  leviathans  were,  I  never  knew  with  cer- 
tainty, but  I  always  strongly  suspected  the  ravisher  to 
be  no  less  than  a  dolphin  [Delphinus  Tursio).  To 
possess  a  big  fellow  I  found  was  impossible,  so  I 
stuck  to  the  little  mackerel,  and  revenged  upon  them 
at  breakfast  the  next  morning,  the  depredations  of 
their  seniors. 

At  Catalin  Bay,  where  I  had  to  serve  the  allotted 
period  of  imprisonment,  I  found  the  fishing  even  bet- 
ter than  on  the  west  side.  When  I  was  sent  there, 
I  should  have  liked  to  question  the  colonel  as  to  the 
justice  of  his  selection,  but  after  all,  the  two  months 
flitted  by,  and  even  now  I  look  back  with  pleasure  to 
the  simple,  small  Genoese  fishing-village.  Perhaps 
by  chance  there  is  a  fisherman  stationed  there  now  ; 
well,  if  so,  I  will  put  him  up  to  the  ropes.     As  you  go 


128 

along  southward  from  the  viUagc  to  visit  your  guards, 
there  is  a  cave.  Passing  through  it  you  find  a  port- 
hole, looking  perpendicularly  down  on  the  Mediterra- 
nean. When  there  is  an  easterly  wind  blowing,  the 
surf  breaks  beneath  in  grandest  splendor.  From  this 
port-hole,  with  strong  tackle  and  plenty  of  fresh  sar- 
dines for  bait,  you  can  take  more  fish  in  the  course  of 
the  day  than  will  suffice  for  your  whole  detachment. 
Off  Catalin  Bay  there  is  a  bank,  four  good  miles 
from  land. '  Get  the  village  fishermen  to  take  you 
to  it,  and  if  fortune  smiles  upon  you  with  the  favor 
it  did  on  me,  you  will  cry  before  the  night  is  over, 
"  Hold,  enough."  The  fish  principally  taken  were  a 
copper-colored  bream,*  about  two  or  three  pounds  in 
weight,  and  so  numerous  were  they,  that  we  never 
thought  of  drawing  up  our  lines  till  we  had  two  or 
more  victims  hooked;  and  how  do  you  tliink  we 
knew  this?  Simply  in  this  way,  one  fish  on,  you 
only  felt  a  direct  tug,  two  or  more  a  constant  vibra- 
tion, as  if  a  party  were  squabbling  over  the  line,  and 
each  endeavoring  to  take  possession  of  it. 

*  Called  by  the  Spaniards  "Bissengo." 


SPORTING    KEinNISCENCES.  129 


SPOETIXG  EEMIJflSCEXCES. 

For  some  days  I  had  had  a  terribly  hard  time  of 
it.  Tlie  ground  had  drunk  its  full — and  to  spare — 
of  snow-Y»'ater,  game  Avas  scarce  and  wild,  and  the 
scanty  herbage  that  my  horse  and  mule  were  able 
to  obtain  since  we  entered  the  plains  was  barely 
sufficient  to  keep  them  alive ;  still,  good  seventy 
miles  more  had  to  be  traversed  before  I  could  reach 
the  friendly  shelter  of  the  belt  of  timber  that  sur- 
rounded the  Fork.  If  it  had  been  autumn,  I  dare 
not  have  chosen  this  route,  for  it  is  a  debatable 
ground  of  the  Camanche  and  Arrapahoe,  to  whom  a 
solitary  white  man  would  be  so  tempting  a  morsel 
that  he  could  not  fail  to  be  caught,  and  we  will  not 
say  what  done  to ;  the  very  conjecture  is  disagree- 
able. The  severity  of  the  late  weather,  therefore, 
was  my  safety;  for  red  skins,  no  less  tlian  wliite 
men,  dislike  unnecessary  exposure.  Still  I  was  con- 
vinced some  stragglers  must  have  lately  visited  the 
neighborhood,  for  the  occasional  head  of  game  I  saw 
was  so  wary  that  I  concluded  hunters  had  lately 


130 

disturbed  them.  One  thing  was  very  mnch  in  my 
favor — I  Avas  in  the  lightest  of  marching  order,  no 
l^ack  of  peltries  or  well-stocked  kit  had  I,  for  a 
few  pounds  of  Lullcts,  a  pound  of  powder,  and  my 
buffalo  robe,  were  all  my  animals  had  for  a  load. 
How  independent  a  fellow  feels  when  all  his  worldly 
goods  can  be  summed  up  in  so  few  words.  To  keep 
as  much  in  the  nags  as  possible,  in  case  speed  might 
be  required,  on  the  look-out  for  any  thing  suspicious, 
with  cautious,  slow  steps,  I  pursued  my  route  to  the 
eastward.  Nothing  occurred  to  increase  my  watch- 
fulness ;  in  truth,  I  commenced  to  believe  that  I  had 
unnecessarily  alarmed  myself,  when,  crossing  a  small 
water-course,  on  the  edge  of  which  was  a  sandy 
margin,  plainly  I  saw  the  prints  where  three 
horses  had  lately  passed.  The  forefeet  of  one  of 
them  was  shod — a  good  indication.  Still  they  might 
have  lately  been  stolen  from  some  distant  white 
settlement,  so  all  my  previous  alarm  and  caution 
were  again  reverted  to.  Half  an  hour  afterward  I 
heard  the  rei)ort  of  a  rifle ;  but,  as  there  was  a  roll 
in  the  prairie  between  me  and  the  direction  the 
sound  came  from,  I  could  not  see  who  had  fired  the 
shot.  In  ignorance  of  what  was  to  be  seen  beyond, 
it  would  have  been  madiiess  to  have  ridden  to  the 


SPOETING    KEi^nXISCENCES.  131 

top  of  the  bhiff;  so,  turning  off  to  the  right  into 
irregular,  broken  ground,  the  effects  of  the  previous 
year's  heat,  I  hobbled  my  animals,  and  started 
cautiously  to  stalk  my  way  to  some  high  ground, 
from  whence  I  might  obtain  a  view  of  the  surround- 
ing country,  taking  care  to  keep  myself  between  the 
suspicious  direction  and  my  beasts.  I  had  not 
traversed  over  150  yards,  and  was  halting,  the 
better  to  notice  the  most  available  cover  for  future 
progress,  when  first  the  head  and  shoulders,  then 
the  entire  figure,  of  a  man  loomed  o'er  the  top  of 
the  swell.  Camanche  or  Arrapahoe  I  knew  at  once 
he  was  not — perhaps  Osage  or  Pottawatomie ;  but 
what  the  deuce  would  bring  them  so  many  hundred 
miles  from  their  own  hunting  lands  ?  However,  as 
every  thing  in  the  shape  of  red  skins  is  to  be  dealt 
cautiously  with,  I  changed  my  caps  and  got  into 
most  convenient  and  unconspicuous  shooting  atti- 
tude, determined  not  to  throw  away  a  shot,  or, 
much  less,  give  my  supposed  foe  a  chance  of  return- 
ing the  compliment.  That  he  was  alone,  being 
dismounted,  I  knew  could  not  be  the  case ;  and  as 
he  was  coming  in  the  very  direction  of  my  fresh  trail, 
which,  if  he  was  permitted  to  cross,  he  could  not  fail 
to  discover,  and,  with  the  discovery,  bring  his  whole 


132  GUN-,    ROD,    AND    SADDLE. 

party  in  pursuit  of  mc,  there  was  but  one  alternative 
tlierefore  for  me  to  adopt.  Last  year,  in  this  very 
locality,  tlie  Indians  had  been  unusually  active ; 
scarcely  a  gang  of  emigrants  or  traders  avIio  had 
taken  the  southern  route  but  had  lost  members  of 
their  party ;  in  several  instapces  neither  sex  nor  age 
had  been  spared  by  these  blood-thirsty  marauders, 
so  vvdiat  could  I  expect  if  alone  I  fell  into  the  hands 
of  a  party  of  braves  on  the  war-path  ?  True,  my 
scalp — for  it  has  long  been  ignorant  of  a  scalp-lock — 
would  scarcely  be  worth  lifting,  but  then  I  did  not 
want  to  knock  under  yet ;  and  if  so  I  preferred  mak- 
ing a  fight  for  it,  as,  I  think,  under  the  excitement, 
the  process  of  being  wiped  out  is  less  painful. 

By  tliis  time  my  stalwart  apparition  had  approach- 
ed within  eighty  yards;  he  was  a  noble-looking  fig- 
ure, without  the  slouch  of  the  red  man  when  hunting, 
and  his  step  was  as  free  and  independent  as  if  he  had 
been  shooting  over  a  private  manor.  A  big  bug  he 
evidently  was,  conscious  of  his  own  divinity,  still  no 
eagle's  feather  or  characteristic  mark  of  a  chief  dis- 
tinguished him ;  presently  he  halted,  and  threw  his 
large  gun  across  his  arm,  wlien  I  saw  at  once  that  he 
was  a  white  man.  Great  was  his  surprise  when  lie 
saw  me  leave  my  ambush  ;  quick  as  thought  his  rifle 


SPORTING    EEmxISCEXCKS.  133 

was  cocked  and  brought  to  the  port,  but  I  prevented 
liim  from  further  hostile  demonstrations  by  a  sah:ite 
in  mother  tongue.  Our  meeting  was  strange,  both 
took  a  pretty  good  stare,  and  then  mutually  men- 
tioned each  other's  name,  for  we  had  met  before,  and 
Avhere  ?— in  no  less  distant  a  portion  of  the  earth 
than  in  the  realms  of  the  Tycoon.  A  restless  spirit, 
a  crack  shot,  and  passionately  fond  of  field  sports, 
the  world  was  his  demesne — and  where  game  was 
abundant,  there  he  would  be  found,  Avhatever  were 
the  dangers  tliat  surrounded  it,  laughing  at  hard- 
ship and  privation,  the  bitters  that  make  the  sweets 
of  life  the  more  enjoyable  by  contrast. 

Securing  my  animals,  I  accompanied  him  to  the 
party  to  which  he  had  attached  himself;  they  had 
only  lately  left  civilization,  and  through  his  interest 
my  equine  companions  got  a  feed  of  corn,  to  which 
they  had  long  been  unaccustomed;  the  night  passed 
discussing  old  friends,  a  flask  of  brandy,  and  a  pack- 
age of  kill-a-kinnick  tobacco  ;  and  when  on  the  mor- 
row I  shook  his  sterling  hand  at  parting,  before  re- 
commencing my  journey,  he  presented  me  with  a 
couple  more  feeds  of  grain,  which,  without  doubt,  ma- 
terially assisted  my  four-footed  fiiends  in  rapidly 
traversinsT  the  balance  of  the  debatable  orround. 


184 


FISHING    OFF    THE    CAPE 
OF    GOOD    HOPE. 

Who  has  tried  the  fishing  in  Simon's  Bay,  Cape  of 
Good  Hope  ?  Well,  I  have,  and  had  sucli  a  take  of  fish 
as  seldom  do  I  remember  falling  to  my  lot.  Those 
who  have  not  visited  southern  Africa  will  please  to 
learn  that  the  coast  is  wild,  irregular,  and  rocky  ;  pos- 
sibly as  uninviting  as  can  be  imagined ;  and  the  waves 
that  roll  in  on  this  distant  shore,  are  giants  in  stature. 
Outside  the  anchorage  of  Simon's  Bay  is  a  light-ship; 
it  marks  the  end  of  a  most  dangerous  reef,  which  has 
pounded  many  a  hole  in  stout-built  vessels :  but  this 
reef,  though  repellant  to  navigators,  is  most  attrac- 
tive to  the  inhabitants  of  the  briny  deep;  and  close 
to  the  light-ship,  on  the  edge  of  the  reef,  we  dropped 
anchor  and  commenced  work. 

The  bait,  which  certainly  deserves  a  descrijition, 
for  such  curious-looking  shell-fish  I  never  ]>reviously 
saw,  Avas  neither  an  oyster  nor  a  mussel;  it  looked  a 
little  like  both,  for  it  had  a  hard  external  shell,  and 


FISHING   OFF   THE    CAPE    OF    GOOD    HOPE.        135 

numbers  clung  together  in  bunches  ;  but  oh,  reader, 
Iiold  your  nostrils  while  they  are  opened,  a  description 
of  the  perfume  is  almost  impracticable.  If  you  have 
met  a  pretty  little  animal  in  the  American  forests, 
called  a  skunk,  got  a  good  sniff  of  his  otta  not  of  roses, 
you  may  imagine  the  other,  being  tolerably  similar, 
only  that  there  was  the  additional  flavor  of  decom- 
posed fish.  But  if  we  disliked  the  perfume,  and  made 
wry  faces  over  it,  the  fish  did  not.  They  took  it  with 
a  bolt  the  moment  it  reached  the  bottom.  The  prizes 
that  we  obtained  were  all  rock  fish,  some  of  them  of  im- 
mense size-,  in  two  or  three  hours  we  must  have  had 
several  hundred- weight  in  our  boat,  but  unfortunately 
it  commenced  to  blow,  and  we  were  compelled  to  up 
anchor,  and  run  for  it.  Weather  on  this  coast  is  very 
variable,  not  unlike  what  often  will  be  experienced 
in  the  west  of  Scotland. 

From  the  ship  some  of  the  seamen  took  a  splendid 
fish,  both  for  table  and  appearance.  By  the  bum- 
boat  people  it  was  denominated  the  Cape  salmon. 
As  might  be  supposed,  it  had  no  relationship  to  the 
salmon  family,  but  belonged,  I  think,  to  tlie  same  ge- 
nus as  the  striped  bass  of  North  America.  Tlie  two 
are  much  alike,  only  the  former  is  without  the  lateral 
lines  possessed  by  the  latter.     This  fish  is  well  known 


136  GUN,    EOD,    AND    SADDLE. 

here,  aiul  I  believe  is  esteemed  tlieir  best  for  the  ciii- 
sme.  A  wonderful  place  also  is  Agulhas  Bank  for  fish, 
but  you  must  be  becalmed  to  enjoy  it,  no  pleasant 
circumstance  when  you  are  either  in  a  huny  home 
or  the  reverse.  A  calm  away  down  in  those  ocean  lat- 
itudes does  not  bespeak  a  level  deck,  no,  quite  the 
reverse,  the  ship  heaves,  pitches,  and  rolls  Avith  the 
long  swell.  All  motions  are  combined  in  her  action, 
and  the  yards,  masts,  etc.,  creak  and  groan  in  the 
most  discordant  complaining  manner.  No,  no,  far 
sooner  would  I  hear  the  blast  Avhistling  through  the 
shrouds,  ay,  and  so  fiercely  that  the  boatswain's 
whistle  only  played  second  fiddle,  than  listen  to  the 
complaining  labors  of  a  becalmed  ship  in  the  South- 
ern Indian  Ocean.  But  about  Agulhas  Bank.  A 
friend  of  mine,  a  really  good  and  experienced  fisher- 
man, had  the  luck  (if  such  it  may  be  called)  to 
have  a  couple  of  days'  fishing  on  this  distant  shoal. 
Kow  this  person  had  fished  on  the  Newfoundland 
banks,  and  had  wondrous  tales  to  tell,  but  never  aught 
like  this.  His  belief  is  that  there  is  not  a  place  in 
the  Avorld  to  c*qual  it  as  a  fishing-grouud.  If  this  be 
the  case,  is  it  not  surprising  that  some  tight  little 
schooners  have  not  yet  made  it  their  haunt  ?  The 
weather  here  cannot  be  more  formidable  or  dangerous 


FISETDTG   OFF   THE   CAPE    OF    GOOD    HOPE.       137 

to  shipping  than  the  northeast  coast  of  America, 
while  the  traffic  and  consequent  danger  of  collision  is 
infinitely  less ;  moreover,  there  are  excellent  markets 
Avithin  as  accessible  distances  as  the  vessels  have  that 
sail  annually  from  British  and  French  ports  for  the 
great  bank  of  Newfoundland  or  the  Labrador  coast. 


138 


A   BEAE   ADTEj^TUEE. 

Ix  following  a  flight  of  ruffed  grouse,  Avliich  bad 
risen  so  fir  beyond  range  as  to  have  prevented  my 
getting  a  shot  at  them,  I  came  across  a  perfect  brake 
of  wild  grape-vines  loaded  with  fruit.  I  could  not 
witliStand  the  temptation  of  halting  for  a  feed,  for 
they  had  been  touched  by  frost,  Avhicli  changes  them 
from  the  most  unpalatable  to  the  most  delightfully 
flavored  fruit.  The  day  had  been  warm  for  the  end 
of  autumn  and  I  suppose  the  fatigue  of  my  tramp, 
together  with  the  delightful  shade  afforded,  induced 
me  to  lie  down,  and,  as  might  be  expected  under  the 
circumstances,  I  fell  asleep.  How  long  I  might  have 
been  in  a  state  of  oblivion  I  can  not  say,  but  I  was 
awoke  by  my  companion,  a  mongrel  English  terriei", 
barking  vociferously  at  some  intruder.  After  a 
stretch,  a  yawn,  and  the  usual  awakening  actions,  I 
turned  in  the  direction  of  Prince  to  see  what  on  earth 
liad  raised  his  ire  and  disturbed  my  siesta,  when,  judge 
my  astonishment,  I  beheld  a  large  bear  erect,  pull- 


A    BEAK    ADYENTUKE.  139 

ing  clown  the  vines  not  twenty  yards  off,  ignorant  of 
my  presence,  but  occasionally  casting  a  furtive  glance 
back  at  his  angry  assailant,  who  took  precious  good 
care  to  keep  beyond  arm's  length.  Men  become  cool 
in  such  situations,  either  from  association  or  the  power 
of  controlling  their  feelings.  My  gun  lay  at  my  side 
loaded  with  number  six ;  if  Bruin  found  me  out  and 
became  aggressive,  at  close  quarters,  say  eight  or  ten 
yards,  I  was  prepared  to  risk  the  issue ;  if  he  would 
only  move  off  a  little  way,  still  keeping  to  windward 
I  thought  I  might  improve  my  opportunity  by  substi- 
tuting a  brace  of  bullets.  Under  any  circumstance 
my  gun  would  be  required,  so  watching  the  first  op- 
portunity when  the  bear's  back  was  turned,  I  brought 
my  double-barrel  close  by  my  side  and  cocked  each  lock. 
Many  may  laugh  when  I  say  I  did  not  feel  nervous,  but 
I  did  not,  and  remained  watcliing  with  special  pleasure 
the  enjoyment  that  my  foe  appeared  to  take  in  crunch- 
ing up  whole  bunches  of  the  luscious  fruit.  As  he 
worked  farther  from  me  my  dog  became  less  demon- 
strative, only  occasionally  giving  way  to  a  suppressed 
growl,  which  his  feelings  were  unable  to  control. 

First  one  barrel  was  unloaded  and  the  heavier  mis- 
sile substituted,  then  the  next  underwent  the  same 
oj)eration,  Bruin  being  now  out  of  sight,  still  \^  ithiu 


140  GrN,    KOD,    AND    SADDLE. 

hearing ;  but  the  tables  were  turned ;  if  formerly  I 
was  prepared  to  leave  him  alone,  I  now  felt  equal  to 
acting  on  the  aggressive.  Giving  Prince  a  little  en- 
couragement, he  again  rushed  to  the  attack,  and  it  is 
wonderful  with  how  much  more  ardor,  knowinoj  that 
his  master's  eye  was  on  him.  Soon  I  knew  the  dog 
had  nipped  him,  for  I  heard  a  rush,  and  dogs  will  re^ 
treat  toward  their  masters,  which  brought  Bruin  full 
in  view.  As  the  distance  was  greater  than  I  liked,  I 
hesitated  to  fire,  but  the  bear  had  seen  me,  and  dis- 
liking my  appearance,  turned  to  make  off,  but  the 
brave  little  cur  was  at  his  heels,  and  as  I  cheered  him 
to  the  attack,  he  never  lost  an  opportunity  of  pinch- 
ing Bruin's  stern,  who  at  length  tree'd  to  avoid  the  per- 
secuting little  pest  which  hung  on  his  rear,  the  most 
desirable  course  for  me  he  could  have  adopted.  By 
the  time  I  reached  the  spot  the  enemy  had  gained  the 
lirst  fork,  not  twenty  feet  overhead,  and  is  it  to  be 
wondered  at,  that  at  such  a  short  range,  with  not  a 
twig  to  intervene,  and  with  a  clear  view  of  his  shoul- 
cler,  one  barrel  brought  him  to  the  ground  with  no 
more  life  in  his  carcass  than  tlie  usual  death-strug- 
gle ?  My  trophy  was  not  large  but  well  fed,  and  his 
hams  afforded  me  for  many  a  subsequent  morning  a 
bonne  hoiiche  wortliy  of  a  hunter. 


k 


A   BEAR   ADVENTURE.  141 

But  poor  little  Prince  got  into  trouble  before  lie 
reached  home.  As  I  struck  the  margin  of  a  river 
which  lay  in  my  route,  I  observed  a  large  bald-headed 
eagle  sailing  about.  Keeping  under  the  shelter  of 
some  brusli  I  waited  for  a  chance.  My  right-hand  bar- 
rel I  had  reloaded  with  heavy  shot,  and,  as  the  bird 
passed  about  seventy  yards  off,  I  gave  him  a  2:)ortion 
of  its  contents,  which  was  responded  to  by  his  imme- 
diately reaching  the  ground  Avith  a  broken  wing. 
Prince,  plucky  with  the  issue  of  his  late  engagement, 
made  a  dash  at  the  bird,  but  caught  a  Tartar,  for  he 
was  seized  by  both  talons,  and,  but  that  I  came  to  the 
rescue,  would  have  been  rendered  useless  for  any  oth- 
er purpose  than  baiting  a  wolf  trap.  As  it  was,  after 
I  had  killed  the  bird  I  had  some  difficulty  in  loos- 
ening his  claws,  and  I  doubt  if  my  faithful  little 
mongrel  had  lived  to  the  age  of  Methuselah,  he  ever 
would  have  been  induced  to  tackle  another  eairle. 


142  GUN,    ROD,    AJ^D    SADDLE. 


riSIIlJ^G    11^    MAI^TE-CIIAE 
OE   TEOUT. 

Maixe,  one  of  the  oldest  States  of  tlie  many  tliat 
compose  the  Union,  is,  strange  to  say,  less  densely 
settled,  less  cultivated,  and  probably  less  known, 
than  many  of  those  that  can  date  their  existence  no 
further  back  than  ten  or  twelve  years.  The  causes 
to  which  this  is  attributable  are  three,  viz.,  the  severity 
of  the  winters,  the  indifference  of  the  soil,  and  the 
rugged  mountainous  rocky  surface  of  the  landscape. 
But  where  man  is  scarce,  there  look  for  tlie  wild  den- 
izens of  the  forest.  Here  the  moose,  caribou,  and 
bear  are  still  to  be  found,  the  homes  of  the  beaver, 
otter,  fislier,  and  mhdv  remain  undisturbed,  and  even 
tlie  dreaded  panther,  painter,  or  more  correctly, 
puma,  is  not.  rare.  Neither  are  fish  wanting;  the 
country  is  a  perfect  labyrinth  of  lakes  and  rivers, 
which  swarm  with  various  species  of  the  salmon 
genus:  but  sad  to  say,  the  grand,  the  great,  tSalmoib 


FISHING   m   MAINE.  143 

salar,  the  beloved  of  the  angler,  the  hoiuie  houche  of 
the  epicure,  has  almost  disappeared,  for  unfortu- 
nately, on  all  the  outlets  of  the  rivers,  there  are 
towns,  and  the  inhabitants  have  lon^  since  verified 
the  proverb  of  the  goose  and  the  golden  e^^.  AYhat 
Englishmen  have  done  at  home,  so  have  their  cousins 
done  across  the  Atlantic.  Englishmen  and  Americans, 
as  merchants  and  traders,  have  been  credited  with 
acumen  and  foresight ;  such  credit  they  may  have 
justly  earned  abroad ;  but  their  policy  in  reference 
to  their  home  fisheries  has  been  totally  the  reverse. 
Let  us  hope  that  they  will  at  length  see  the  error  of 
their  ways,  and  unanimously  adopt  the  means  that 
scientific  men  have  pointed  out,  for  remedying  and 
counteracting  their  past  transgressions. 

But  let  not  the  enthusiast  run  away  with  the  idea 
that  in  Maine  there  are  no  drawbacks  to  pleasure, 
that  sport  is  found  without  an  alloy,  for  the  pests  of 
every  new  land  here  swarm,  black-flies,  mosquitoes, 
and  sand-flies ;  but  fortunately  their  reign  of  terror 
does  not  exist  over  six  weeks.  The  flrst  (the  black- 
fly),  wliich  is  about  the  size  of  a  small  house-fly,  and 
not  dissimilar  in  appearance,  is  a  perfect  cannibal,  re- 
fusing to  be  driven  away,  willingly  immolating  him- 
self in  his  thirst  for  blood,  and  drawing  blood  when- 


144  GUN,   ROD,    AND   SADDLE. 

ever  he  can  obtain  a  footing,  up  your  trousers,  down 
your  sliirt  sleeves  or  collar,  everywhere  he  will  get 
at  his  victim.  Kill  them  by  thousands,  the  pha- 
lanxes apparently  undiminished  will  return  to  the 
attack;  and  even  domestic  animals  do  not  escape.  The 
unfortunate  cow  that  had  been  driven  up  to  supply 
us  with  milk,  I  have  seen  changed  from  a  strawberry 
to  a  black,  by  the  myriads  of  these  vampires  that 
clun^:  to  her :  and,  but  that  we  lit  a  laro-e  smudo;e* 
for  her  to  stand  over,  I  believe  the  poor  old  creature 
would  have  died  under  the  incessant  torture  and  irri- 
tation. But  if  the  poor  cow  suffered,  so  did  we,  and 
it  was  only  by  constantly  lubricating  the  exposed 
parts  of  our  persons  with  oil  of  tar,  or  oil  of  penny- 
royal, that  we  were  enabled  to  stand  the  ordeal. 
Fortunately,  the  black  fly  is  hungry  during  day- 
light only ;  like  a  respectable  citizen,  he  early  goes 
to  rest,  and  equally  early  recommences  business. 

Next  come  the  mosquitoes  ;  I  have  found  the  same 
gentry  troublesome  in  the  Mediterranean,  bad  on  the 
Malay  Peninsula,  w^oree  in  the  paddy  fields  of  China, 
but  all  these  lack  the  'cuteness  and  insolence  of  their 

*  Decayed  damp  wood,  which  burns  slowly  and  emits  a  great 
quantity  of  smoke. 


FISHING   IN   MAINE.  145 

Yankee  cousins.  If  your  hand  is  bare  for  a  moment 
a  dozen  will  be  on  it ;  when  up  to  your  knees  in  a 
pool,  and  fast  in  a  big  fish,  both  hands  consequently 
employed,  your  face  and  the  back  of  your  neck 
will  be2:in  to  itch — to  burn — as  if  scalding^  water 
had  been  poured  over  them.  ISior  were  the  sand-flies 
deserving  of  better  character,  for  though  so  small  that 
you  can  scarcely  perceive  them,  their  powers  of  an- 
noyance are  tremendous.*  Thank  Providence  that 
none  of  tliese  wretches  are  made  as  big  as  the  ferce  na- 
tio'ce,  or  else  genus  homo  must  soon  become  extinct.  I 
will  here  tell  a  little  circumstance  that  befell  the  wri- 
ter: he  and  two  acquaintances  were  fishing  under  a 
fiill ;  fish  were  abundant,  but  space,  on  account  of  the 
trees,  too  limited  for  so  many  rods,  so  down  the  stream 
he  started,  and  forgot,  in  his  desire  to  beat  the  others 
in  results,  the  odious  preparation  of  oil  of  tar.  After 
half  an  hour's  scrambling  through  brush  and  climbing 
over  rocks,  he  at  length  reached  such  a  lovely  pool. 
The  first  cast  showed  it  to  be  alive  with  fish,  and  they 
in  the  proper  way  of  thinking.  Soon  the  gravel  mar- 
gin had  over  a  dozen  beauties  glittering  in  all  their 
glorious  coloring,  but  the  sun  was  near  the  horizon, 

*  Called  bj  the  ludians  ^'^o-zeo  urns,"  from  their  minuteness. 

7* 


146  GUN,    KOD,    AND    SADDLE. 

and  the  attendant  warned  the  angler  that  time  was  up. 
On  joining  his  friends,  long  and  vociferous  were  their 
peals  of  laughter  whenever  they  looked  at  him. 
"What  the  deuce  was  up  ?  On  arrival  at  the  shanty- 
all  was  explained.  The  black  flies  had  attacked  him 
when  so  immersed  in  his  sport,  that  they  had  been 
unnoticed,  or  brushed  off,  making  his  countenance  the 
most  extraordinary-looking  mess  of  blood  and  bruised 
flies  imaginable;  but  if  he  did  not  then  feel  the  pain, 
you  may  bet  he  did  that  night  when  warm  in  bed. 

Knowing  that  such  torments  exist,why  did  the  wri- 
ter go  there?  is  naturally  asked,  and  as  simply  an- 
swered, for  before  he  started  he  was  assured  that  not 
even. a  mosquito  was  to  be  found  in  Maine.  After- 
ward it  was  discovered  that  the  visit  of  his  infoi-mant 
had  been  paid  to  this  Ultima  Thule  late  in  autumn. 
A  dozen  times  conclusions  were  come  to  of  sloping 
(not  for  Texas)  in  the  morning ;  but  the  attractions 
were  so  great  that  the  entire  summer,  even  on  to  the 
end  of  October,  was  got  through,  the  last  two  or  three 
months  so  delightfully,  that  the  self-sacritlce  endured 
in  June  and  July  was  more  than  compensated  for;  and 
never  can  be  forgotten  the  beautiful  weather,  glorious 
sport,  and  free  independent  life  enjoyed.  The  State 
of  Maine  being  of  considerably  larger  pruporliuns 


FISHING    IN    MAINE.  147 

than  England  and  Scotland  together,  it  is  desirable 
that  the  particular  locality  should  be  mentioned. 
Seventy  miles  from  the  thriving  sea-port  of  Portland, 
along  the  Grand  Trunk  line  of  railroad  will  be  found 
on  the  map  the  picturesque,  clean,  flourishing  village 
of  Bethel ;  twenty-seven  miles  north  from  it  Lake  Um- 
bagog.  Here  you  have  the  last  settlement,  and  by 
follow^ing  up  the  Androscoggin  River,  wdiich  enters 
the  top  of  the  last-mentioned  lake,  you  get  into  a  per- 
fect labyrinth  of  lakes  and  j^onds,  united  together  by 
brawling  streams,  only  navigable  by  the  lumber- 
man's flat  or  Indian's  birch-bark.  On  all  sides  precip- 
itous mountains  rise,  covered  with  pine-trees  where 
there  is  a  possibility  of  their  clinging,  or  immense 
bowlders,  to  all  appearance  ready  to  roll  from  their 
resting-place  into  the  waters  beneath.  x\nd  here  in 
this  vast  solitude,  free  from  cares,  we  made  our  home, 
fishing  or  hunting  by  day,  and  sleeping  such  sleep 
upon  piles  of  hemlock  as  seldom  is  enjoyed  on  feather 
beds  (that  is  at  the  end  of  the  fly  season) ;  for  though 
the  beai-s  might  growl  around,  the  gray  wolf  give  us 
a  proof  of  his  vocal  powers,  or  the  weird  note  of  the 
loon  come  shrilly 'over  the  waters,  still  all  formed  but 
a  lullaby  to  make  us  rest  the  better. 

lu  fishino'  the  rivers  of  all  the  wild  lands  of  the 


148  GUN,    ROD,    AND    SADDLE. 

extreme  nortliern  portion  of  the  United  States  andtlie 
Dominion  for  trout  or  salmon,  little  or  no  sport  will 
be  experienced  by  the  angler  until  the  snow-water 
has  run  off;  in  fact  I  do  not  believe  the  latter  fish 
will  enter  a  river  that  has  not  got  rid  of  that  addi- 
tion. We  got  to  our  fishing-ground  just  at  the  de- 
sired time ;  a  guide  we  consulted  said  we  were  too 
soon.  It  being  better  to  be  early  than  late,  avc 
pushed  at  once  for  our  first  halting-place,  and  the 
result  was  that  we  hit  things  so  nicely  that  we  struck 
the  opening  day.  For  about  two  or  three  weeks 
the  take  was  very  great,  and  the  variety  of  coloring 
among  our  j^rizes  something  wonderful.  A  collect- 
ing naturalist,  a  pupil  of  tlie  celebrated  professor  of 
natural  history  at  Harvard  College,  Cambridge,  Mas- 
sachusetts, joined  our  party  a  few  days  after  our 
arrival,  and  all  these  various  colored  fish  were  desig- 
nated by  him  as  Sahno  fontinalis.  To  so  great  an 
authority  I  did  not  presume  to  differ,  still  when  lie 
informed  me  that  the  Salmo  fontinalis  of  American 
waters  was  identical  with  our  home  brook-trout  I 
thought  that  the  lively,  game  little  beauty  of  our 
mountain  streams  had  wonderfully  changed  in  color 
and  appearance  from  his  trans-Atlantic  brother,  or 
vice  verad.      As  the  weather  bei2-an  to  j;-et  warmer 


FISHIXG    IN    MAINE.  149 

the  more  brilliant-colored  specimens  became  scarcer, 
and  ultimately  ceased  to  betaken  in  the  river.  This 
circumstance  induced  me  further  to  think  that  there 
was  some  difference  either  in  habits  or  choice  of 
haunts  which  their  more  plain  clothed  relatives  did 
not  affect,  and  that  at  least  there  were  different  varie- 
ties, if  not  species,  among  the  inhabitants  of  this 
stream;  and  the  more  I  think  the  subject  over  now 
the  more  thoroughly  do  I  feel  convinced  that 
the  name  of  Salino  fontinalis  has  been  frequently 
applied  to  what  is,  in  reality,  our  red-bellied  char. 
Memory  is  often  not  to  be  depended  upon,  but  with 
the  assistance  of  a  few  notes  (the  lapse  of  time  not 
being  more  than  three  years),  I  will  endeavor  to  tell 
the  differences  that  I  most  particulai'ly  observed.  In 
outline  of  shape  what  I  suppose  to  be  the  red-bellied 
char  much  resembled  a  well-fed  trout,  except  that 
the  first  dorsal  fin  is  nearer  the  head,  the  caudal  fin 
lias  a  wider  spread  at  its  termination,  and  the  junc- 
tion of  their  caudal  fin  with  the  body  is  more  tapered 
away.  In  coloring  the  back  was  of  a  deep  mackerel 
gi-een,  interwoven  with  irregular  darker  waving 
lines,  while  the  belly  was  as  brilliant  as  burnished 
copper.  Above,  where  the  green  of  the  back  and 
red  of  the  stomach  ran  into  each  other,  there  were 


150  GUN.    EOD,    AND    SADDLE. 

tliree  lateral  lines  of  large  brilliant  red  sj^ots,  inter- 
sj)ersed  with  minor  straw-colored  ones,  and  in  some 
si^ecimens  the  anal  and  pectoral  fins  had  the  first  two 
or  three  spines  black.  Altogether  in  shape  and 
coloring  a  more  game-looking,  beautiful  fish  can  not 
be  imagined ;  moreove)-,  their  table  qualities  sur- 
passed in  delicacy  of  flavor  any  fish  I  have  ever  eaten, 
for  the  bright  red  flesh  had  a  delicate  nutty  flavor 
indescribable,  and,  I  fear,  scarcely  imaginable.  Our 
guide,  who  was  also  cook  and  master  of  camp,  used 
to  fry  in  cream  the  smaller  ones,  and  I  doubt  if  ever 
prince  or  epicure  had  a  dish  placed  before  him  more 
worthy  of  his  palate. 

But  having  given  what  I  know  to  be,  more  particu- 
larly to  the  naturalist,  a  far  from  perfect  description  of 
this  handsome  fish's  peculiarities,  its  habits,  as  dif- 
fering from  the  trout  I  have  known,  may  have  inter- 
est. With  the  artificial  fly  they  w^ere  not  so  readily 
taken  as  with  minnow  or  w^orm.  When  hooked  I 
never  knew  them  to  spring  from  the  water,  and  the 
quiet  reacli  of  the  pool  was  invariably  a  more  cer- 
tain find  than  tlie  brawling  neck.  After  sunset  I 
never  could  succeed  in  capturing  them,  and  the  best 
liours  in  the  day  were  from  sunrise  till  it  commenced 
to  get  warm,  and  the  two  hours  precedhig  sunset. 


FTSIITXG   IN    MAINE.  151 

After  these  iisli  had  disappeared  from  the  river,  I  dis- 
covered tliat  they  coukl.  be  taken  in  the  deep  waters 
in  the  lakes,  either  with  minnow  or  natural  fly,  the 
bait  being  sunk  close  to  the  bottom  ;  and  the  places 
where  I  was  generally  most  successful  in  this  fish- 
ing was  where,  our  guide  affirmed,  were  situated  the 
springs  that  partially  fed  these  lakes  ;  his  reason  for 
this  statement  being  that  this  portion  of  the  lake  al- 
ways remained  open  in  winter,  while  the  balance 
every  year  froze  up. 

Again,  after  these  fish  had  deserted  the  river  I 
had  some  admirable  sport  with  them  by  going  to  tlie 
top  of  the  lake  and  coming  down  on  the  annual  lum- 
ber raft.  I  was  put  up  to  this  by  the  guide,  he  for 
years  had  followed  lumbering,  and  the  rafts  as  they 
floated  down,  he  assured  me,  were  always  followed 
by  swarms  of  trout.  His  information  was  correct  as 
to  the  numbers  of  fish,  but  instead  of  the  trout  of 
the  river,  I  found  my  beautiful-brilliant  colored 
friend.  This  habit  is  peculiar,  to  say  the  least  of  it, 
and  untrout-like,  and  I  could  only  account  for  it  in 
two  ways,  viz.,  either  the  shade  afforded  by  these 
immense  logs  formed  the  attraction,  or  the  con- 
stant immersion  of  the  timber  in  the  water  caused 
the  insect  denizens  of  the  bark  to  be  drowned  out  of 


152  GUN,    HOD,    AND    SADDLE. 

their  retreats,  and  dropping  olF  in  tlie  water  furnished 
these  iish  with  a  favorite  food. 

Summer  drifted  past,  and  with  it  disappeared  the 
incessant  persecuting  flies.  Autumn,  with  all  that 
brilliant  coloring  so  remarkable  in  America,  made 
its  appearance,  and  the  oppressive  heat  gave  way 
to  the  most  desirable  temperature.  An  English  au- 
tumn to  me  is  always  sad,  an  American  autumn  is 
quite  the  reverse ;  the  hues  and  colors  of  the  for- 
mer are  somber,  in  those  of  the  latter  brilliancy 
unsurpassable  predominates.  An  American  autumn 
once  seen  makes  as  lasting  an  impression  on  the 
memory  of  matureage,  as  the  gorgeous  fairy  scene 
of  the  pantomime  when  first  beheld  upon  that 
of  youth.  For  some  time  none  of  the  bright-hued 
fish  had  been  taken,  and  I  much  feared  that  my 
acquaintance  with  them  for  that  year  had  ter- 
minated ;  but  not  so,  a  few  sharj)  nights  of  frost 
took  place,  and  going  one  morning  to  obtain  suf- 
ficient fish  for  breakfast,  in  the  run  that  formed  the 
exit  of  the  river  from  the  lake,  I  with  pleasure,  in 
succession,  captured  several  of  the  beauties.  From 
that  day  forward  they  became  more  numerous,  and 
the  last  morning's  fishing  which  I  here  enjoyed,  with 
the  snow  flying  so  thick  that  I  could  scarcely  see  my 


I 


FISHING   IK   MAINE.  153 

flies,  I  killed  not  only  the  greatest  number,  but  the 
heaviest  of  the  brilliant  representatives  I  had  captured 
during  the  season.  AYitli  regret,  having  no  desire  to 
pass  almost  an  arctic  Avinter,  I  turned  my  back  upon 
the  three  lonely,  lovely  lakes,  with  the  following  un- 
pronounceable Indian  names,  Molleychunkeymunk, 
Mooseluckmaguntic,  and  Moligewalk,  to  seek  the 
boundless  prairies  of  the  far  West,  and  to  substitute 
for  constant  companion,  my  double  barrel,  in  place 
of  my  well-tried  tapering  fliy-rod. 

In  my  experience  as  a  fisherman  in  Scotland  and 
Ireland,  I  never  knew  of  our  river  trout  being  cap- 
tured in  the  sea.  In  Long  Island,  what  is  there 
called  the  brook  trout  {Salnio  fontlnalls)  is  well 
known  periodically,  when  practicable,  to  visit  salt 
water;  in  fact  they  are  constantly  taken  with  the  fly 
in  the  tidal  portion  of  those  streams.  The  char  of 
Norway  and  Sweden  does  the  same,  and  I  can  only 
say  that  both  these  fish  are  wondrously  alike.  On 
the  other  hand,  the  brilliant-colored  inhabitants  of 
the  interior  lakes  of  Maine,  that  I  have  mentioned, 
can  not  do  so,  for  if  they  survived  the  descent  of  the 
Burling  falls,  their  ascent  would  be  impossible. 
Although  the  arctic  char  goes  to  the  sea,  the  more 
resplendent  colored  relation  remains,    I  think,    con- 


154: 

stantly  in  his  fresh-water  retreats^iV?  est^  supposing 
this  is  a  char.  To  me  it  would  be  particularly  in- 
teresting to  know  if  my  surmises  as  to  the  proper 
species  of  this  beautiful  fisli  are  correct ;  and  doubt- 
less there  are  numbers  of  English  fishermen  whose 
verdict,  even  from  my  imperfect  description,  would 
set  at  rest  a  point  important  both  to  naturalist 
and  sportsman.  "^ 

*  Since  the  above  was  written  specimens  have  been  forwardea 
to  Mr.  Frank  Buckland  from  America,  and  the  surmises  of  the 
author  are  found  to  be  correct. 


ANIMAL    LIFE.  155 


ASriMAL    LIFE. 

'*  There  is  a  pleasure  in  the  pathless  wood, 
There  is  a  rapture  on  the  lonely  shore.  " 

UxDOUBTEDLY  evGiy  One  who  loves  nature  has 
felt  the  truth  of  the  above  assertions,  but  is  not  this 
pleasure,  this  rapture  increased  by  the  addition  of 
animal  life,  whether  it  be  the  occasional  glimpse  of 
the  timid  hare,  the  momentary  glance  of  the  graceful 
playfnl  squirrel,  the  sea-birds  dipping  o'er  the  count- 
less waves,  or  the  fish-hawk  hunting  for  his  prey? 
Yes,  there  is  society,  where  man  does  not  intrude, 
and  that  society  tlie  most  enchanting,  that  of  the 
beautiful  wild  animals,  rejoicing  in  their  freedom, 
happy  in  their  liberty,  knowing  no  fear,  dreading  no 
intrusion.  For  hours  in  the  far  western  forests  of 
America  I  have  stood,  scarcely  daring  to  breathe  for 
fear  I  should  disturb  some  family  party,  ay,  although 
I  knew  full  well  that  but  for  a  successful  shot,  sup- 
perless  I  should  have  to  sleep  ;  yet  who  that  could 
for  a  moment  think,  would  wantonly  destroy  a  mem- 


156 

ber  of  the  little  coterie  ;  disturb  their  innocent  gam- 
bols, their  jDlayfiil,  graceful  tricks.  Were  they  but 
for  a  moment  aware  of  man's  dreaded  presence,  all 
would  precipitantly  make  a  hurried  and  fearful  re- 
treat. The  true  lover  of  nature  loves  not  alone  the 
landscape,  but  loves  those  numerous  additions,  fasci- 
nating and  inexpressible,  without  which,  the  effect 
of  the  grand  foreground,  the  beautiful  intermediate, 
and  the  soft  subdued  distance,  would  be  materially 
diminished.  In  the  northern  portion  of  the  State  of 
Maine,  the  scenery  is  truly  sublime  ;  mountain  after 
mountain  rises,  as  if  each  strove  to  overtop  the  other. 
Giant  pine-trees  cling  from  precipice  and  crag,  hang- 
ing as  if  suspended  in  the  air,  bowlders  and  rocks  of 
all  fantastic  outlines,  far,  far  above  threaten  instant  de- 
struction to  all  underneath ;  brawling  streams,  grandly 
impetuous,  leap  and  throw  themselves  from  rock  to 
rock,  while  every  now  and  then  glimpses  of  glassy 
surfaced  lakes,  embosomed  in  wood,  form  a  lovely  dis- 
tance. But  this  country,  lovely  as  it  is,  is  almost 
destitute  of  animal  life ;  no  songster  greeted  my  ear 
with  his  melody ;  no  startled  deer  bounded  across  my 
path,  so  that  an  intense  solitude  that  became  painful 
prevented  the  enjoyment  that  might  have  been 
anticipated.     But  if  grand  natural  scenery,  ne'er  des- 


ANIMAL    LIFE.  157 

ecrated  by  the  hand  of  man,  wants  animal  life  to  set 
it  off  to  the  greatest  perfection,  how  much  more  do 
our  tame  artiticial  grounds  and  waters  require  this 
adjunct  ? 

Few  of  our  citizens  can,  when  they  choose,  fly  away 
into  the  highlands,  the  lake  district,  or  the  wilds  of 
of  Connemara,  but  have  to  be  satisfied  with  the 
artificial  and  formal  beauties  which  our  numerous 
public  and  private  pleasure-grounds  afford;  but 
would  not  the  enjoyment  of  those  resorts  be  greatly 
enhanced  if  more  animal  life  was  added  to  the  pic- 
ture ?  In  the  city  of  Philadelphia  a  public  park  is 
tenanted  by  great  numbers  of  squirrels,  of  different 
varieties,  whose  tameness,  merry  antics,  and  spright- 
line^s  cause  them  to  be  the  admiration  of  all  visitors. 
Could  not  squirrels  be  introduced  here  ?  not  our 
common  red  variety,  but  the  handsome  black,  gray, 
or  ground  squirrel  of  the  American  continent.  What 
a  suitable  place  would  Kensington  be  for  such  inmates, 
and  what  a  fund  of  amusement  they  would  afibrd  to 
the  juveniles  that  in  such  numbers  frequent  it !  There 
are  also  several  beautiful  varieties  of  water-fowl, 
whose  advent  would,  I  am  certain,  be  welcomed,  such 
as  the  wood-duck,  spiig-tail  duck,  loon,  sheldrake, 
summer  and  black  duck  ;  all  of  these  species  are  ex- 


158  GTTX,    ROD,    AND    SADDLE. 

ceedingly  hardy,  and  the  Serpeiitme  and  numerous 
other  artificial  waters  are  equally  adapted  to  them. 
Further,  while  on  the  subject  aquatic,  I  am  informed 
that  there  are  fisli  in  the  majority  of  these  miniature 
lakes,  but  they  must  be  of  a  very  base  order,  grovel- 
ers  in  mud,  so  much  afraid  to  show  their  ugly  car- 
casses that  the  human  eye  is  never  greeted  with  their 
presence ;  of  course  in  comparatively  speaking  stag- 
nant water,  the  river  or  brook  trout  would  not  flour- 
ish, the  lake  trout  might,  althougli  I  doubt  it,  there 
being  an  insufficiency  of  depth  without  cool  springs 
at  the  bottom  to  prevent  tlie  water  in  summer  be- 
coming heated,  and  a  cold  retreat  is  absolutely  ne- 
cessary for  their  health.  However,  there  is  a  fish 
across  the  Atlantic,  equal  to  eitlier  of  the  two  men- 
tioned, gamer  for  his  size  and  a  much  bolder  feeder, 
viz.,  the  black  bass,  which  is  a  frequenter  of  both 
running  and  still  water,  clear  or  muddy,  an  admira- 
ble table  adjunct,  and  almost  unmatchable  in  the  eyes 
of  the  sportsman  for  pluck  and  gameness,  taking  in- 
discriminately the  artificial  fly  or  trolling  bait,  spring- 
ing from  the  water  Vvdien  liooked,  and  refusing  to  be 
landed  till  after  along,  fierce,  and  protracted  struG:- 
gle.  I  have  killed  a  very  great  number  of  trout,  and 
aliso  black  bass,  aud  although  it  was  a  long  time  before 


ANIMAL   LIFE.  159 

I  could  believe  that  any  tiling  of  the  size  could  equal 
the  former,  I  have  for  some  time  been  compelled  un- 
equivocally to  give  the  palm  to  the  latter.  Now  if 
we  had  this  fisli  in  the  Serpentine,  the  water  would 
not  remain  without  a  ripple ;  his  presence  would 
soon  become  known  by  his  rising  at  the  flies  and  other- 
wise disporting  himself  upon  the  surface.  Who  that 
has  stood  at  sunset  by  the  brink  of  some  calm  river, 
or  the  margin  of  some  unrippled  loch,  say  in  the  high- 
lands, where  trout  are  abundant,  has  not  been  de- 
liglited  to  watch  the  eager  fish  rising  after  their  prey, 
and  inwardly  made  notes  of  the  size  of  each,  from 
the  amount  of  broken  water  displaced  ?  When  we 
have  suitable  homes  to  offer,  do  by  all  means  let  us 
have  lots  of  animals;  much  room  for  thought  is 
afforded  by  their  habits,  much  pleasure  from  their 
innocent  pastimes,  and  the  influence  engendered  by 
association  with  them  is  certainly  most  beneficial. 


160  GUN,   EOD,    AND    SADDLE, 


STRANGE   FISHES. 

When  returnins;  from  shootino;  i)innntGd  o-rouse  in 
the  State  of  Illinois,  I  came  upon  a  party  of  farmers 
who  were  netting  a  pond  on  the  edge  of  the  timber 
land.  This  sheet  of  water  was  about  two-thirds  of  a 
mile  long,  with  an  average  breadth  of  one  hundred  and 
fifty  yards.  The  bottom  was  composed  of  mud,  ex- 
cept the  southern  end,  where  it  was  gravel.  Only  when 
vei-y  high  floods  occurred  in  the  Wabash  River,  was 
there  outlet  or  inlet  to  this  piece  of  water;  still,  I 
knew  it  was  well  stocked  with  iish,  for  on  a  previous 
evening,  as  I  stood  on  its  margin  as  the  sun  went  down, 
waiting  for  wild  duck,  I  had  seen  the  surface  iu  por- 
tions broken  into  spray  with  the  fishes'  numerous  pas- 
times, or  energetic  pursuit  of  their  prey.  With  curios- 
ity I  stopped  to  see  the  result  of  the  first  haul,  and  well 
was  my  patience  rewarded,  for  what  food  for  study 
was  in  the  results !  First  and  foremost,  from  the  size 
and  peculiarity  of  formation,  I  will  mention  what  the 
fisherman  designated  a  "  spoonbill  catfish  " — a  name 


STEANGE   FISHES.  161 

without  doubt  given  by  some  one  who  knew  as  little 
about  genus  and  species  as  a  cow  does  about  a  watch- 
pocket.  This  curious  fish  was  beautifully  shaped, with 
all  those  perfections  that  characterize  the  salmon  fam- 
ily, but  projecting  from  his  head  was  a  muscular  con- 
tinuation about  sixteen  inches  long,  and  six  broad  in 
the  center,  not  unlike  the  blade  of  a  canoe-})addle. 
This  spoonbill  was  entirely  separated  from  and  pro- 
jecting over  and  independent  of  the  mouth,  the  lower 
jaw  being  in  its  ordihar}^  place ;  nor  was  the  mouth 
large.  As  nature  forms  nothing  without  purpose,  of 
what  use  was  this  projection  ?  My  own  idea  is  that 
it  was  a  feeler,  used  in  poking  about  through  the 
weeds,  decayed  vegetation,  and  mud  :  and  by  its  sen- 
sitiveness the  fish  was  enabled  to  find  his  food.  On 
handling  this  ram  jnscis,  I  found  that  the  slightest 
pressure  on  this  attachment  appeafed  to  produce  in- 
tense pain.  The  skin  was  entirely  free  from  scales 
from  the  tail  to  the  termination  of  the  projection,  and 
was  very  smooth  and  soft,  not  at  all  dissimilar  to  that 
of  an  eel.  For  a  trifle  I  secured  the  prize,  as  I  was  as- 
sured he  was  an  excellent  table  addition,  and  my  in- 
formants were  perfectly  correct.  I  afterward  cut 
up  the  proboscis  to  satisfy  my  curiosity,  and  found  it 
entirely  composed  of  gristle,  the  surface  underneath 


162  GUN,    ROD,    AND    SADDLE. 

the  skin  being  a  labyrinth  of  veins.  Afterward  I 
saw,  at  difterent  times,  many  of  this  curious  family, 
thus  proving  that  they  are  in  no  way  rare ;  still, 
I  have  neATr  seen  them  mentioned  by  naturalists. 
Probably  it  is  exclusively  confined  to  inland  Ameri- 
can waters.  Further,  I  would  say,  the  vitality  Avas 
remarkable,  for  after  transporting  it  home  it  lived  for 
over  an  hour.  The  weight  of  the  entire  fish  was 
probably  about  sixteen  pounds.  The  next  attraction 
noticed  was  what  is  familiarly  l^nown  in  that  vicin- 
ity as  ''  the  pond  fish."  In  color  it  much  resembles 
the  beautiful  black  bass,  in  shape  slender  but  grace- 
ful ;  the  placement  of  the  fins  is  the  same  as  in  the 
pike  family,  but  the  head  is  small  and  not  unlike  that 
of  a  trout.  It  is  a  greedy  feeder,  and  from  its  being 
uneatable  (the  flesh  being  hard  and  rank)  is  considered 
a  great  bore  by  the  fishermen.  Their  average  weight 
is  from  two  to  four  pounds.  Still  another  variety 
with  which  I  had  been  previously  unacquainted  Avas 
taken,  viz.,  "  the  great  western  carp  "  there  called 
"the  buffalo  fish."  It  is  frequently  captuivd  of  enor- 
mous size — several  I  have  seen  over  twenty  i)ounds. 
They  are  much  and  deservedly  esteemed,  and  are  tak- 
en in  immense  numbers  in  the  spring  of  the  year  by 
spearing ;  for  as  soon  as  a  flood  takes  place,  when  the 


STRANGE   FISHES.  163 

water  is  rising,  tliey  rash  out  overall  the  inundated 
lands,  wherever  there  is  sufficient  depth  for  them  to 
swim.  For  more  than  an  hour  one  day  I  watched  a 
lad,  spear  in  hand,  who  had  taken  his  post  over  an 
opening  which  passed  under  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi 
Railroad,  made  similar  to  a  sluice  for  the  purpose  of 
preventing  the  water  in  time  of  floods  becoming 
dammed.  During  my  stay  this  youngster  must  have 
killed  a  couple  of  hundred-weight.  You  must  not  im- 
agine that  these  were  all  that  were  in  the  net.  Sun- 
fish,  pike,  pickerel,  black  bass,  catfish,  mullet,  and  tur- 
tle to  a  wagon-load  rewarded  the  fishermen's  efibrts. 
In  the  end  of  the  bag,  I  was  about  to  place  my  hand 
upon  what  I  considered  a  rare  prize,  Avhen  I  was  stop- 
ped by  the  rough  intervention  of  one  of  the  people, 
and  the  exclamation  of,  "  You  don't  want  to  die  before 
your  time  ?  If  he  bite  you,  all  the  whisky  in  the  goun- 
ty  won't  save  you."  (Whisky  is  considered  an  infal- 
lible cure  for  snake  bites.)  This  nondescript  to  be 
avoided  was  like  Siebold's  salamander,  with  four  of 
the  smallest  and  most  awkward-looking  legs;  the 
brute  was  about  fourteen  inches  long,  and  Avas  there 
known  as  a  water-dog.  It  frequently  takes  the  fisher- 
man's bait,  who  prefers  to  cut  his  line  and  lose  the  hook 
to  becoming  on  any  more  intimate  terms. 


164 


BUCK-SHOT. 

For  many  a  clay  I  puzzled  myself  to  account  for 
the  uncertainty  of  the  patterns  frequently  made  with 
buck-shot,  from  the  same  barrels,  with  the  same  qual- 
ity and  quantity  of  powder  ;  at  one  discharge  at  long 
range,  say  eighty  yards,  every  pellet  would  enter  a 
disk  of  live  feet  in  diameter ;  at  the  next  discharge, 
for  no  obvious  reason  that  I  could  learn,  they  would 
be  scattered  over  the  extent  of  a  coach-house  door ; 
through  the  first  pattern  it  would  be  impossible  for  a 
deer  to  pass  scatheless  ;  through  the  second  the  proba- 
bilities were  all  in  his  f  ivor. 

However,  after  much  time,  I  think  not  wasted,  I 
believe  I  have  hit  on  a  method  by  which  the  wan- 
dering inclinations  of  buck-shot  can  be  curtailed  and 
reduced  to  considerable  subservience.  For  instance, 
we  will  suppose  a  ten-bore  gun  (the  size  I  invariably 
used  abroad)  be  taken;  procure  buck-shot  of  such  a 
size  that  the  barrel  will  exactly  chamber  four,  that 
is,  that  four  w^ll  fit  in  the  barrel  without  using  force. 


buck-shot.  165 

for  if  force  be  used  their  regularity  of  shape  will  he 
injured,  and  their  flight  will  become  erratic.  Having 
thus  learned  the  desired  size  of  shot,  make  a  cartridge 
of  tolerably  thick  paper,  carefully  place  your  shot  in 
layers  of  four  each  ;  with  some  grease  reduced  to  a 
liquid  consistency  from  heat,  fill  up  the  vacancies 
between  each  layer,  and  as  the  grease  cools  and  be- 
comes solid,  place  in  each  layer,  till  the  cartridge 
contains  sixteen  pellets,  when  finish  your  cartridge 
by  inserting  a  thin,  hard  wad,  turn  down  the 
surplus  paper  over  it,  and  fix  with  a  drop  of  glue. 
Since  adopting  the  above  method,  I  have  frequently 
killed  wild  duck  returning  of  an  evening  from  deer 
shooting,  at  ranges  far  beyond  the  reach  of  ordinary 
drop-shot ;  at  the  same  time  I  would  not  wish  a  sports- 
man to  imagine  that  I  would  purposely  load  with  this 
cartridge  for  duck  shooting;  but  that  I  made  use  of 
them,  as  my  gun  happened  at  the  time  to  be  thus 
loaded.  I  am  no  advocate  for  long  barrels,  twenty-six 
inches  being  the  lengtli  of  the  hardest- shooting  shot- 
guns, for  ordinary  shot,  I  have  known.  But  I  have 
observed  that  long  barrels  invariably  throw  buck-shot 
the  best ;  possibly  the  reason  is  that  the  missiles  are 
then  the  less  inclined  to  scatter,  or  that  the  friction 
with  such  large  grain  being  less,  the  impetus  does 


166  GUN,    ROD,    AND    SADDLE. 

not  meet  the  resistance  presented  by  tlie  smaller  and 
more  compact  fitting  grains.  An  American  gentleman 
who  for  some  months  frequently  sliot  witli  me,  had  a 
ten-bore  gun  thiity-six  inclies  in  tlie  barrels,  made,  I 
tliink,  by  a  gunmaker  named  Abbey,  of  Cliicago, 
and  weigliing  very  nearly  nine  pounds.  Such  a 
cannon  would  soon  have  worn  me  out,  but  my  friend 
was  big  all  over  and  strong  as  an  ox,  and  on  the  lon- 
gest and  hardest  days,  whether  shooting  snipe,  duck, 
pinnated  grouse,  or  deer,  never  ap})eared  to  suffer 
from  its  weight.  Well  this  gun  was  an  extraordinary 
performer  with  Inick-shot ;  on  one  occasion  I  saw  him 
kill  a  brace  of  deer  right  and  left  so  far  off  tliat  I 
hesitate  to  sa}^  the  distance,  knowing  liow  skeptical 
many  are  on  the  subject  of  long  shots. 


THE   AMEKICAN   TKOTTING-HOESE.  167 


THE  AMEElOASr  TEOTTIXG- 
HORSE-HIS    OEIGIIT. 

TiiEiiE  is  no  nation  on  the  face  of  the  earth  so 
thoroughly  embnecl  with  a  love  of  the  genus  JEquus  as 
we  are;  and  knowing  this  to  be  the  case,  I  trust  I 
may  be  pardoned  in  advancing  a  theory  which  I  be- 
lieve not  to  be  a  follacy,  in  reference  to  the  origin  of 
the  .Vmei-ican  trotting-horse,  and  from  what  source 
they  inherit  that  specialty,  entitling  them  to  be  ac- 
knowledged the  fastest  animals  in  the  world  in  that 
peculiar  pace.  But  in  case  some  readers  are  inclin- 
ed to  disallow  this  superiority,  and  dispute  the  point, 
that  American  horses  are  faster  trotters  than  ours, 
permit  me  to  state  that  across  the  Atlantic  I  have 
seen  many  nags  that  could  perform  their  mile  in  har- 
ness in  less  than  two  minutes  and  a  half,  and  three 
tliat  have  trotted  the  same  distance  in  less  tlian  two 
minutes  and  tv^-enty  seconds ;  moreover  they  have 
the  most  enduring  qualities,  as  can  be  attested  by 
several  having  performed  their  twenty  miles  within 


16S  GUN,    ROD,    AND    SADDLE. 

tlic  hour ;  and  tliat,  after  much  investigation,  I  have 
been  unable  to  tind  a  single  instance  recorded  of  any- 
thing like  similiar  rates  of  speed  having  been  made 
by  any  of  our  home-bred  animals.  However,  it  would 
be  better  to  state  before  going  further,  that  there  are 
plenty  of  thorough-bred  horses  in  America;  but 
it  must  be  remembered  that  they  are  all  sprung  from 
stock  imported  from  this  country,  and  that  they  ai*o 
totally  distinct  from  the  family  of  trotters,  although  of 
kite  years  the  appearance  of  the  latter  has  been  much 
improved  by  judicious  crossing  the  two, — in  fact,  so 
much  so,  that  some  of  the  late  crack  trotters  have 
quite  a  racy  look,  one  in  particular.  Lady  Thorne, 
who,  if  lier  appearance  does  not  speak  falsely,  would 
make  no  contemptible  figure  on  the  turf  or  across 
country;  yet  from  all  my  experience  and  inquiries  I 
have  been  unable  to  hear  of  a  trotting  debutante 
of  pure  breeding,  nor  do  I  believe  such  exists. 

Some  Americans  I  have  heard  avow  that  it  was  the 
result  of  training,  and  that  Englishmen  did  not  under- 
stand the  art  of  teaching  ahorse  how  to  make  such 
use  of  his  legs,  so  as  to  obtain  the  greatest  amount 
of  trotting  speed  ;  and  that  they  felt  confident,  tliat 
had  they  but  the  opportunity,  they  could  select  out 
of  our  pastures  numerous  youngstci's,  who,  in  course 


THE   AMERICAN   TROTTIN"G-HORSE.  169 

of  time,  would  be  made  successfully  to  rival  the  perfor- 
mances of  any  of  the  prodigies  who  annually  exhibit 
on  the  various  trotting  courses  in  the  United  States. 
To  this  supposition  I  beg  to  disagree,  for  I  am  con- 
vinced if  such  vara  aves  existed,  their  excellence 
would  as  certainly  be  developed  in  an  English  break- 
er's hands,  as  under  the  tutelage  of  a  representative 
of  any  other  nationality.  At  the  same  time  it  is  true 
that  trotting  is  not  paid  so  much  attention  to,  or  near- 
ly so  popular  among  us,  as  upon  the  Western  Conti- 
nent, where  it  may  almost  be  designated  the  national 
amusement ;  but  what  person  of  means  here  would  not 
be  desirous  of  possessing  a  horse  that  could  outpace 
all  others  on  the  road,  assist  him  to  catch  a  train  or 
post,  transport  him  in  the  shortest  time  to  distant 
meets,  bring  him  home  at  railway  speed  after  a  hard 
day's  shooting,  or  when  thoroughly  drenched,  tired, 
and  exhausted,  with  a  long  day's  hunting  in  a 
heavy  countr}-,  land  him  at  his  hall  door  in  half  the 
accustomed  time?  Doubtless  all  would  like  such  a 
useful  hack,  and  doubtless  such  an  animal  would  sell 
at  a  fabulous  price ;  hence  the  inducement,  if  we  had 
the  raw  material,  to  bring  it  to  perfection. 

But   have  we  the  material  ?     I  say  not,  but  be- 
lieve our  hoi-ses  and  the  American  (not  alluding  to 


170  GUN,    EOD,    AND    SADDLE. 

the  tliorougli-brcd,  who  are  much  in  tlie  minority  in 
nnnihcrs)  owe  tlieir  origin  to  difterent  sources,  tliat 
trotting  is  a  national  characteristic  of  the  one,  gal- 
loping or  cantering  of  the  other,  and  the  moi'e  I 
have  seen  of  the  tAvo  races  the  more  thoroughly  am 
I  convinced  that  such  is  the  case.  In  Kentucky, 
when  visiting  the  farm  of  an  extensive  hreedei-,  and 
who  has  bred  and  owned  some  of  the  most  celebra- 
ted race  and  trotting  horses  in  that  State,  I  inspected 
both  his  droves  of  young  ones,  the  race-horses  and 
the  trotters  (for  both  Inmilies  are  kept  separate  and 
distinct),  and  was  very  much  struck  with  the  marked 
difference  in  their  appearance  ;  the  latter  being  heavy 
chested,  large  limbed,  small  headed  with  tapering 
muzzle,  while  the  tail  was  generally  set  on  very  low. 
However,  if  they  diifered  in  appeai-ance,  in  man- 
ner and  habit  they  were  more  essentially  unlike: 
wlien  you  alarmed  the  thorough-breds,  ofl^they  went 
at  a  swinging  gallop;  if  the  trotters,  their  favorite 
pace  would  be  chosen,  and  in  few  instances,  how- 
ever much  you  might  coei'ce  them  to  increase  their 
speed,  could  they  be  induced  to  break,  and  it 
must  be  borne  in  mind  that  tlie  majority  had  not 
yet  ])assed  into  the  breaker's  hands,  so  that  their 
action  was  natural. 


THE   AMERICAN    TEOTTLN'G-HOESE.  171 

Again,  I  purchased  a  horse  in  Illinois,  tlie  produce 
of  a  very  good  trotting-mare.  Up  to  the  date  of 
my  owning  him  he  had  never  been  in  harness.  After 
a  few  trials  he  showed  a  very  great  turn  of  speed, 
and  in  ajuonth  or  two  was  a  very  fast  trotter;  and 
so  much  did  he  prefer  this  gait,  that  no  amount  of 
punishment  would  cause  him  to  break.  Now,  in  this 
animal's  education  I  did  not  use  other  means  than 
those  I  have  always  practiced  at  home ;  still,  I  never 
previously  had  a  hack  that  could  drag  a  conveyance 
at  the  same  velocity.  To  whom  was  the  credit  due, 
the  horse  or  driver?  Doubtless  the  reader  will  agree 
with  me. 

In  temjoer  and  disposition  a  great  dissimilarity  is 
also  apparent,  for,  as  a  rule,  the  American  horse  is 
very  free  from  vice  (kicking  and  biting  being  rarely 
fomid),  sluggish,  patient,  and  subservient,  not  unfre- 
quently  without  a  certain  amount  of  mulishness  in 
look  and  manner;  in  fact,  one  of  the  most  celebrated 
trotting  stallions  (the  sire  of  Dexter,  who  has  made 
the  best  time  in  harness  on  record,  and  many  others 
almost  as  good),  is  the  most  wonderful  likeness  to 
that  useful  cross,  viz.,  between  the  horse  and  ass,  and 
thoroughly  dissimilar  to  any  of  his  race  that  I  have 
seen  in  England ;  however,  he  must  not  be  taken  as 


172  GUN,    ROD,    AND    SADDLE. 

a  representative  of  all,  for  few  Imndsomer  liarness- 
horses  can  be  found  than  Patchen,  Jan.,' Butler,  and 
George  Wilkes,  all  three  of  whom  have  reaped  hon- 
ors which  will  long  render  their  names  famous 
among  the  patrons  of  the  American  trotting  turf 

Having  stated  my  belief  that  the  transatlantic 
trotter  has  a  difterent  origin  from  our  home  stock, 
it  behooves  me  now  to  endeavor  to  point  out  the 
source  from  whence  he  came,  and  thus  in  part  ac- 
count for  the  marked  difference  which  characterizes 
him.  The  horse  is  not  a  native  of  Arherica.  If  we 
may  believe  liistorians,  on  the  discovery  of  the 
American  Continent,  no  such  animal  existed  there ; 
the  distant  prairies  and  western  slopes,  which  are 
now  traversed  by  innumerable  droves  of  Avild  horses, 
were  then  entirely  without  this  genus.  But  whence 
are  they  sprung  ?  How  are  these  innumerable  hei-ds 
which  are  now  found  there  to  be  accounted  for  ?  In 
the  following  manner: — The  Spaniards  were  the  first 
people  to  attempt  any  important  conquests  on  the 
American  Continent.  The  first  horses  that  were 
landed  in  that  country  were  the  chargers  of  the  mil- 
itary force  under  the  command  of  Cortez.  The 
natives  who  at  first  received  the  foreign  invaders 
with  the  strongest  demonstrations  of  welcome  were 


THE    AMERICAN    TROTTING-IIORSE.  173 

over  whelmed  with  wonder,  and  awe-stricken  when 
they  beheld  the  strangers  monnted  on  animals  dis- 
similar to  any  they  had  previously  seen.  Nor  were 
the  Spaniards  slow  to  avail  themselves  of  this  ad- 
vantage, and  in  the  numerous  re-enforcements  con- 
stantly forwarded,  cavalry  formed  a  large  portion ; 
familiarity  between  the  natives  and  the  dreaded  ani- 
mals soon  reduced  their  fears,  and  as  a  natural  con- 
sequence in  many  of  the  engagements  that  took 
place,  the  rider  being  slain  the  charger  was  cast 
upon  his  own  resources  and  became  free.  Again, 
upon  the  line  of  march,  doubtless  many  a  foot-sore 
and  exhausted  animal  was  left  to  perish,  but  liberty 
and  rest  imbued  him  with  fresh  spirit,  and  the  for- 
saken, broken-down  steed,  with  abundant  pasture, 
abundant  water,  perfect  idleness,  and  self-control, 
soon  became  thoroughly  resuscitated.  Further,  we 
learn  that  on  one  of  the  repulses  which  the  Spaniards 
were  subjected  to,  in  their  hurry  to  save  their  lives, 
they  turned  their  horses  loose,  and  took  to  their  ship  ; 
and  still  again,  when  De  Soto  discovered  the  upper 
waters  of  the  Mississippi,  he  turned  all  the  expedi- 
tion's horses  free,  as  he  had  determined  to  continue 
his  researclies  through  that  then  terra  incognita^  on 
the   bosom  of  the  miglity  father  of  waters.     From 


174  GUN,    ROD,    AND    SADDLE. 

these  horses  introduced  by  the  Spaniards,  introduced 
by  De  Soto,  are  doubtless  sprung  the  countless  teams 
tliat  the  traveler  may  daily  see  over  the  unpeopled 
plains  of  northern  Texas  and  northern  Mexico. 
The  Spaniards  then  brought  the  first  horses  to  Amer- 
ica, from  whence  did  they  obtain  tliem?  None 
could  be  got  nearer  than  Europe,  none  more  conveni- 
ently than  in  their  own  country ;  we  have,  therefore, 
every  right  to  conclude  that  the  horses  were  from 
Spain,  probably  from  the  southern  portion  of  it,  as 
horses  are  more  numerous  there,  and  the  inhabitants 
more  partial  to  horsemanship.  Who,  that  has  trav- 
eled in  Spain,  if  his  eyes  have  been  employed  to  take 
observation  of  more  than  the  sierras  and  senoritas, 
can  have  failed  to  observe  that  the  native  horse 
is  very  unlike  (in  many  respects)  the  Englisli  or 
French  species,  and  that  this  dissimilarity  increases 
the  farther  you  go  south ;  but  it  is  in  this  very  dis- 
similarity that  the  descendants  across  the  Atlantic 
differ  from  our  home  breed.  Moreover,  in  Spain  I 
liave  observed  among  their  nags,  a  great  deal  of  what 
is  termed  in  America  "knee-action,"  a  })eculiar  method 
of  raising  and  placing  the  loot  down,  which  is  con- 
sidered a  necessary  by  the  connoisseur  in  selecting 
an   embryo  trotter.     The  Spaniards  like  this  action, 


THE    AMEEICAN   TROTTING-HOESE.  1Y5 

tliey  tliink  it  sliowy,  and  cultivate  it  in  their  saddle- 
liorscs,  but  for  the  purpose  of  display,  they  being  too 
indolont  or  ignorant  to  turn  it  to  better  account. 
Further,  the  roads  are  generally  villainous  througli- 
out  the  land,  and  very  unsuitable  for  quick  driving, 
in  fact  some  of  the  most  wealthy  and  aristocratic 
Spaniards,  even  at  the  present  day,  always  use  mules 
in  theii  carriages. 

The  Spanish  horse  doubtlessly  has  a  very  large 
proportion  of  Barb  blood  in  his  veins,  more  espe- 
cially those  of  the  southern  portion ;  this  may  be  ac- 
counted for  by  the  shortness  of  the  sea  passage  which 
ic  the  neighborhood  of  Gibraltur,  in  suitable  weather, 
even  before  the  days  of  steam,  could  be  made  in 
three  or  four  hours ;  but  the  influx  of  Barbs  into 
Spain,  which  must  have  been  great,  I  do  not  attrib- 
ute so  much  to  accidental  importation  of  individuals, 
as  to  the  numbers  which  must  doubtlessly  have  been 
taken  there  during  the  Moorish  ascendency,  for  the 
purposes  of  war,  more  especially  as  the  Moors  at 
that  period  were  famous  as  cavalry,  and  relied  prin- 
cipally on  this  arm  of  the  service  for  carrying  out 
successfully  their  predatory  system  of  warfare. 

The  Moorish  horse  also  has  very  frequently  this 
kuee-action,  previously  mentioned  in  the  Spaniard. 


176 

I  was  particularly  struck  with  it  in  some  colts  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Taugiers,  and  more  especially  in  a 
horse,  the  property  of  one  of  the  consuls.  Gut  of 
the  numerous  importations  which  come  to  Gibraltar, 
I  have  seen  several  who  could  trot  very  well,  and  if 
pains  had  been  taken,  might  have  been  made  fast,  not 
perhaps  so  flist  as  the  American;  l)ut  then  it  must  be 
remembered  that  he  (the  latter)  is  a  larger  animal, 
of  greater  muscular  development,  which  he  doubt- 
lessly owes  to  superior  climate,  intermixture  of  Eng- 
lish blood,  and  the  cultivating  of  this  pace  through 
successive  generations. 

In  proof  that  the  Barb  can  be  made  a  trotter,  it 
may  not  be  irrelevant  to  mention  that,  when  in 
Malta,  I  j^ossessed  a  Tunisian  horse  as  a  hack.  I  ran 
him  in  one  or  two  of  the  scratch  races  that  fre- 
quently take  place  on  the  road  to  Slioma:  however, 
he  acquitted  himself  so  badly  that  he,  and  I  fear  his 
owner,  became  quite  a  laughing-stock.  Now,  al- 
though this  horse  could  not  gallop,  he  could  trot; 
and  often  surprised  me  with  his  spurts  of  speed 
when  pushed.  After  mess  one  evening,  a  staft'  offi- 
cer, who  was  my  guest,  kept  chaffing  me  on  what  he 
was  pleased  to  call  my  dromedary.  To  put  a  termi- 
nation to  his  nonsense,  I  offered  to  back  myself  to 


THE   AMERICAN"   TROTTIKG-HOKSE.  177 

trot  him  to  Sliema  and  back,  fi'om  the  St.  Frances 
gate,  in  less  than  thirty-five  minutes.  The  perform- 
ance was  accomplislied,  and  very  much  under  time ; 
nor  in  the  return  did  I  push  my  nag,  as  I  found  1 
had  the  race  in  my  hands.  Xoav  this  Barb,  if  he 
had  been  in  the  possession  of  a  person  who  would 
permit  him  no  other  gait,  would  doubtless  have  be- 
come a  fast  trotter. 

Although  a  great  many  years  may  have  passed 
since  any  direct  importation  of  horses  from  Spain 
to  America  took  ])lace,  still  the  resemblance  between 
the  two  breeds  remains  most  striking.  The  cele- 
brated sire,  known  as  Rydsich's  Hamiltonian,  wliom 
I  have  alluded  to  before,  as  the  father  of  the  present 
champion  of  the  transatlantic  trotting  turf,  is  un- 
like any  horse  I  have  ever  seen  in  England,  but  is  a 
perfect  counterpart  of  many  animals  I  have  seen  in 
Spain  and  Morocco,  except  that  the  American  has 
the  advantasre  in  heigjht  and  substance.  Few  of  us 
have  not  seen  pictures  of  the  celebrated  horse,  famil- 
iarly known  as  the  Godolphin  Arab.  Xow,  this 
horse  was  doubtlessly  a  Barb,  his  appearance  at 
once  tells  it,  if  we  can  place  reliance  on  the  correct- 
ness of  his  portraits ;  and  even  could  we  not,  the 

majority  of  authorities  who  have  written  on  hurse- 
8* 


178 

flesh,  pronounce  liim  to  be  so.  In  America  I  sliowed 
a  picture  of  tliis  animal  (if  I  remember  correctly, 
drawn  by  Stubbs)  to  a  well-known  breeder  and  pos- 
sessor of  trotting  stock,  and  lie  assured  me  that  it 
Avas  a  most  perfect  portrait  of  tlie  sire  of  several 
trotting  celebrities,  and  very  like  many  others  he 
had  seen. 

I  have  further  observed  that  a  great  number  of 
American  horses  were  addicted  to  those  most  un- 
gainly modes  of  progression  called  racking  and  pa- 
cing, a  gait  that  is  very  seldom  seen  in  England, 
while  in  Spain  and  Morocco  it  is  extremely  common. 
In  fact,  the  Spaniards  highly  approve  of  it,  believing 
that  it  shows  both  horse  and  rider  to  the  greatest 
perfection ;  nor  is  the  American  behind  him  in  this 
taste,  a  good  pacing  hack  being  deemed  by  all  as 
the  most  desirable  animal  for  saddle  purposes.  Hav- 
ing shown,  I  think,  conclusively,  the  similarity  in 
appearance  and  proclivities  betAveen  the  American 
and  the  ]>arb,  and  further,  how  I  account  for  the  im- 
portation of  the  preponderance  of  Moorish  blood  in 
the  Western  Continent,  I  -svill  endeavor  to  sliow  the 
difference  between  the  Barb  and  Arab,  how  our  En- 
glisli  stock,  with  few"  exceptions,  takes  after  the  lat- 
ter, and  that  it  is  from  this  difference  of  parentage  we 


THE    AMERICAN    TROTTIXG-HORSE.  179 

may  attribute    the    superior    speed    in    trotting    of 
the  American  liorse  over  our  home-bred  animals. 

During  an  experience  in  the  East  that  extended 
over  three  ^^ears,  Avhere  I  had  the  fortune  to  see  every 
variety  of  Arab,  from  the  pure-bred  Medjid  to  the 
Persian,  I  never  knew  one  that  was  a  good  trotter 
or  was  gifted  with  knee-action ;  their  paces  are 
jjrincipally  walking,  galloping,  and  cantering,  their 
movements  being  too  close  to  the  ground  to  excel  in 
the  trot.  Nor  can  this  be  accounted  for  otherwise 
than  from  the  great  difference  in  the  characteristics 
of  the  surface  of  the  ground  in  Arabia  and  in  Bar- 
bary,  and  that  Nature  with  her  wonderful  forethought 
has  adapted  the  gait  of  both  races  to  the  different 
surfaces  over  which  they  have  to  travel.  If  we  are. 
correctly  informed,  the  districts  of  Asia,  where  the 
pure  caste  Arab  is  reared,  is  undulating,  very  sandy, 
and  sparsely  covered  with  vegetation ;  where  the 
colt  or  mare  can,  without  any  fear  of  danger  of  inter- 
ruption, lay  well  down  to  a  gallop.  But,  on  the 
other  hand,  Barbary  is  rough,  rocky,  and  mountain- 
ous, intersected  with  ravines,  and  in  man}'-  portions 
thickly  covered  with  shrubs.  On  such  grounds  it 
would  be  impossible  for  a  horse  to  gallop  with  safety, 
the  velocity  of  his  movements  would  certainly  cause 


ISO  GUN,    ROT),    AND    SADDLE. 

him  to  come  to  grief,  and  the  better  to  avoid  this  he 
trots,  his  legs  being  all  mider  him,  enabling  him  to 
halt  or  turn  to  one  side  or  other  with  the  greatest  fa- 
cility. Further,  by  raising  his  legs  so  liigh  in  this 
pace  he  saves  his  hoofs  from  coming  in  contact  with 
stones  and  brush,  at  the  same  time  giving  him  a  bet- 
ter choice  of  where  he  will  replace  his  feet.  Adopt- 
in  gj  this  action  throuo-h  numerous  o-enerations  has 
developed  those  muscles  which  are  more  strongly 
brought  into  play,  causing  a  change  of  shape ;  so 
that  if  the  horses  of  Arabia  and  Barbaiy  have  a 
common  origin,  their  difference  of  appearance  can  in 
some  measure  be  accounted  for. 

So  far  I  have  been  alluding  to  horses  as  trotters,  that 
is  to  animals  of  such  a  height  as  would  entitle  them  to 
that  appellation.  For  a  few  moments  I  ^vi\\  take  a 
glance  at  their  more  diminutive  brethren,  the  ponies. 
Who  in  our  metropolis  has  not  been  surprised  to  see 
how  they  trot,  it  may  be  under  the  weight  of  a 
patrician  youngster  or  fat  butcher-boy,  in  my  lady's 
phaeton,  or  a  grocer's  delivery-cart  ?  Still  they  get 
over  the  ground  at  an  amazing  pace  for  such  small 
quadrupeds,  and  much  faster  in  proportion  to  tlieir 
size  and  leno^th  of  limb  than  their  lari^er  brethren. 
If  we  take  up  a  sporting  paper  and  see  any  trotting 


THE   AMERICAN   TROrnXG-HORSE.  181 

events  narrated  or  predictcrl,  it  is  invariably  ponies 
tliat  are  going  to  figure,  and  Avonderfnlly  good  time 
tlie  little  ones  make,  exhibiting  speed,  stoutness,  and 
endurance  that  is  truly  wonderful,  But  where  do  the 
most  of  our  ponies  come  from  ?  Devonshire,  Wales, 
Shetland,  Orkney  Islands,  Connemara,  the  wilds  of 
Donegal  and  Antrim.  Xow  on  the  coast  of  each  place 
mentioned,  portions  of  the  Spanish  Armada  were 
wrecked ;  a  large  force  of  caValry  doubtlessly  formed 
a  part  of  that  fortunately  ill-fated  expedition,  and  is  it 
not  more  than  probable  that  many  horses  reached  tlie 
shore  ?  If  so,  these  ponies  have  Spanish  blood,  and 
by  that  link  are  connected  with  the  Barb,  their 
present  diminutive  size  being  the  result  of  severe 
climate,  exposure,  scarcity  of  food,  and  possibly  want 
of  housing  in  winter.  The  wild  horse  of  America  has 
also  become  smaller  than  his  ancestors,  but  not  to  so 
great  an  extent,  from  his  range  lying  many  degrees  of 
latitude  nearer  the  equator. 

Further,  all  the  above-mentioned  places  celebrated 
for  ponies  are  rough,  irregular,  and  rocky  in  their 
surface.  Those  who  may  be  disinclined  to  acknowl- 
edge the  Spanish  origin  or  connection  of  our  ponies 
may  be  disposed  to  think  their  trotting  action  is 
induced  from  the  same  reason  that  I  attribute  to  the 


182  GUN,    ROD,    AND    SADDLE. 

Barbs,  viz.,  ^STature  adapting  them  to  a  pace  which 
is  most  suited  to  the  surface  over  wliich  they  have 
to  travel 

Kow  this  can  not  be  said  for  the  American  liorse; 
tlie  ground  there  is  not  stony  and  irreguhar,  in  those 
portions  where  wild  horses  principally  abounded — the 
magniliceiit  flat  savannas  or  undulating  piairies  on 
either  side  of  the  Mississippi ;  so  that  it  may  be  safely 
inferred  that  trotting  in  the  American  horse  lias  not 
been  the  adopting  of  a  pace  better  suited  to  his  present 
home,  but  the  retaining  of  a  peculiarity  inherent  in 
his  ancestors.  This  is  a  farther  proof  of  the  con- 
nection existing  between  the  transatlantic  horse  and 
the  Barb,  also  an  additional  inducement  for  us  to 
believe  that  our  ponies  have  probably  a  large  propor- 
tion of  S})ani8h  blooel  in  their  veins,  and  that  from 
that  source  they  obtain  their  excellence  as  trotters. 
I  am  aw^are  that  for  some  time  great  efforts  have  been 
made,  more  par&icularly  at  Exmoor,  for  the  improve- 
ment of  the  original  stamp  of  pony  by  the  introduction 
of  undersized  Arab  stallions.  Success  has  been  the 
result,  and  you  frequently  see  ponies  that  arc  model 
race-horses,  hut,  as  a  rule,  the  trotting  proclivity- 
does  not  exhibit  itself  in  the  beauties,  but  in  the  rough, 
shaggy,  hardy,  original  breed,  which  not  unfrequently 


THE   AMERICAN   TROTTIXG-HORSE.  183 

more  resemble  mules,  cart-horses,  or  even  Xewfound- 
Lind  dogs. 

In  Australia,  where  racing  has  long  been  the  favo- 
rite amusement,  and  where  great  attention  has  been 
paid  to  breeding,  the  proof  of  which  is  the  excellent 
time  made  on  their  courses,  fairly  rivaling  the  best 
we  have  on  record,  I  never  heard  but  of  one  nag  tliat 
Imd  gained  a  great  reputation  as  a  trotter.  Now  in 
this  colony  a  great  number  of  Americans  reside,  and 
they,  doubtless  to  gratify  their  favorite  taste  if  they 
could  have  found  the  material,  would  liave  had  some 
steppers  wliose  reputation  would  have  reached  the 
parent  country.  Now  it  is  a  well-known  fact  that  the 
horse  is  not  indigenous  to  Australia,  but  that  it 
was  introduced  from  England,  India,  and  the  Cape — 
all  three  so  far  from  Barbary  and  Spain  that  it  is  ex- 
tremely improbable  that  a  native  of  the  last-named 
countries  ever  set  foot  upon  her  soil.  In  Australia 
there  have  been  no  remarkable  trotters.  To  Australia 
I  doubt  if  there  has  been  any  direct  importation  of 
the  Barb.  Englishmen  have  long  acknowledged  the 
excellence  of  their  through-breds  to  be  attributed  to 
the  Arab  cross ;  at  the  same  time,  it  must  not  be  for- 
gotten that  many  Barbs  have  been  imported  of  which, 
as  I  have  previously  stated,  the  celebrated  sire,  the 


184:  GUN,    EOD,    xVND    SADDLE. 

mjyiamccl  Godolphin  Arab  was  one ;  tlierefore  a  great 
many  of  our  horses  have  Barb  blood  in  their  veins, 
but  it  is  in  the  minority,  the  Arab  being  esteemed  the 
favorite  animal,  and  consequently  m.Vich  more  sought 
after  when  the  foreign  cross  was  dee^aed  advisable  for 
tlie  improvement  of  our  stock. 

In  conversing  with  many  Americans  on  the  subject 
of  their  crack  trotters,  and  in  what  sires  and  families 
they  found  this  pace  better  developed,  to  *he  English 
stallions,  Messenger  and  Mambrino,  many  years  since 
imported  into  the  United  States,  they  gave  the  cred- 
it. Now  if  any  one  will  take  the  trouble  to  hunt  out 
their  pedigrees,  they  will  find  a  stronger  cross  of  the 
Barb  (going  back  as  far  as  the  Godolphin  and  Barb 
mares)  than  is  usually  the  case.  Another  stallion 
exported  from  here  into  Boston  (Mass.),  and  who  a 
long  time  stood  in  Long  Island,  near  New  York, 
called  Bellfounder,  or  the  Norfolk  Trotter,  has  also 
produced  a  numerous  progeny  celebrated  for  this 
pace.  Of  his  pedigree,  although  I  used  every  en- 
deavor, I  could  learn  nothing ;  however,  a  friend 
pi'ocurcd  me  a  print,  said  to  represent  liim  when 
performing  the.feat  of  trotting  I7f  miles  in  the  hour, 
and  never  did  I  see  a  picture  more  remarkably  rep- 
resent an  animal  with  the  prominent  Barb  points. 


THE    AMERICAJS"   TROTTING-nOKSE.  iSo 

To  the  difference  in  disposition  and  temper  be- 
tween tlie  American  and  the  English  horse  to  which 
I  have  alluded,  much  allowance  must  be  made  to  the 
varied  systems  of  breaking  practiced.  The  former, 
as  a  rule,  commence  to  liandle  their  youngsters  at  a 
very  early  age,  almost  making  them  pets,  till  they 
become  so  familiarized  with  man,  that  when  suffi- 
ciently old  they  go  to  work  with  the  steadiness  of 
old  ones;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  the  vice  which 
we  frequently  see  at  home  i-esults  from  severity  of 
treatment,  or  from  the  teasing  of  mischievous  boys, 
or  bad-tempered  grooms,  who  are  too  frequently 
employed  about  our  stables. 

A  statement  of  the  time  made  by  some  of  the  most 
celebrated  American  trotters  I  will  here  append,  as 
it  will  doubtless  be  of  interest  to  many ;  at  the  same 
time  due  allowance  must  be  made  that  such  is  done 
from  memory,  I  having  unfortunately  lost  my  rec- 
ords. Of  one  thing  the  reader  may  be  certain,  that 
if  a  mistake  does  occur  it  is  only  in  the  fractions 
of  seconds.  Flora  Temple,  one  mile,  on  Kalamazoo 
course,  Michigan,  2  min.  19f  sees.  Dexter,  at  Buffalo, 
N.  Y.,  one  mile  in  2  min.  18  sees.  Ethan  Allen  in 
double  harness,  trotting  with  a  running  mate,  on 
Fashion  course,  L.  I.,  one  mile  in  2   min.   15  sees., 


18G  GUN,    EOD,    AND    SADDLE. 

Dexter,  his  antagonist,  being  only  two  lengths  behind 
at  the  finish,  making  his  supposed  time  for  the  mile, 
2  min.  16^  sees. 

In  conchision  I  will  state  that  I  believe  most  thor- 
oughly that  the  excellence  of  the  American  trotting- 
liorse  over  ours  is  entirely  owing  to  his  having  a 
preponderance  or  greater  portion  of  Barb  blood  in 
his  veins  than  our  home-bred  English  animal,  and  for 
a  i)roof  that  the  American  has  this  preponderance  I 
refer  you  to  his  origin. 


HINTS    OS   SHOOTING.  187 


HINTS  OjSi   SIIOOTIS'G. 

To  lay  down  rules  by  the  observance  of  which  the 
majority  of  bad  shots  may  become  experts  is  easy 
enough ;  but  the  trouble  is,  however  great  the  deter- 
mination to  follow  the  precepts  may  be,  as  soon  as 
game  is  flushed  the  advice  of  instruction  is  thrown 
to  the  winds,  and  bang,  bang,  go  both  barrels,  with 
the  same  unsuccessful  results  as  previously.  That 
more  birds  are  missed  by  shooting  too  quickly,  I  as- 
sert as  a  fact  that  is  indisputable;  and  knowing  this 
to  be  the  case,  why  will  it  continue  to  be  j^nicticed  ? 
For  this  reason,  that  many  are  so  fearfully  nervous 
that  for  the  moment  they  have  no  control  of  their 
actions,  or  that  they  are  so  timid  that  firing  off  their 
gun  they  consider  a  duty,  and  the  sooner  it  is  got 
through  with  the  better;  neither  of  such  pupils  are 
ever  likely  to  become  crack  shots.  I  have  a  friend 
who  is,  without  exception,  the  most  unlucky  shot — 
I  was  going  to  say  the  worst — that  ever  I  met.  We 
at  one  period  very  frequently  shot  together,  and  each 


1S8  GUN,    EOD,    AND    SADDLE. 

evening,  on  our  tramp  liome,  he  was  certain  to  tell 
me  tlint  he  had  discovered  the  reason  for  his  apparent 
want  of  skill.  How  various  the  causes  attributed 
would  be  beyond  possibility  of  enumeration ;  however, 
he  always  devised  some  means  of  counteracting  them 
— viz.,  by  stuffing  cotton  in  his  ears,  not  to  hear  the 
spring  of  the  game  j  to  wear  a  loose  collar,  so  that  he 
could  the  better  and  more  rapidly  bring  his  head  to 
the  stock ;  to  discard  a  waistcoat,  for  the  thickness  of 
cloth  over  his  shoulder  militated  against  bringing  his 
gun  rapidly  up.  However,  he  was  always  wounding 
birds — at  least  he  said  so ;  for  constantly,  if  near,  he 
would  call  out,  "  Don't  you  see  the  feathers  fly  ?" 
which,  perhaps  owing  to  my  less  keenness  of  vision, 
I  never  perceived,  save  it  were  the  feathers  flying  oif 
with  tlie  bird.  Another  peculiarity  this  gentleman 
possessed  was,  that  although  he  might  have  discharged 
the  entire  contents  of  his  shot-pouch  without  bagging 
a  single  head,  as  soon  as  we  both  shot  over  the  same 
point,  one  or  other  of  the  birds  knocked  down  was 
due  to  his  skill;  doubtless  companionship  reassured 
him,  or  induced  him  to  take  more  pains.  I  would 
advise  such,  therefore,  always  to  shoot  in  company, 
only  I  would  rather  be  excused  becoming  the  compa- 
ny.    Of  course  occasionally  he  would  knock  over  a 


HINTS  ON  snooTiNa.  ISO 

bird,  but  when  tliis  took  place  it  either  was  lost  or 
took  no  end  of  trouble  to  secure.  I  remember  one  in- 
stance in  a  marsh  where  we  were*snipe-shooting,  a  num- 
ber of  mallards  flushed  within  easy  range  ;  following 
the  report  of  his  gun,  one  of  the  greenheads  left  his 
companions,  sailed  round  several  times,  each  circle 
becoming  lower  and  less  contracted,  till  he  droi)ped. 
lI:df-an-hour  was  fruitlessly  wasted  in  search,  my 
friend  would  not  give  up,  so  I  went  forward  alone ; 
some  time  afterward  he  joined  me,  but  his  perseve- 
rance had  not  been  rewarded.  All  that  day  he  la- 
mented over  this  lost  bird,  for,  like  many  of  our  fish- 
ing friends,  he  doubtlessly  thought  it  (beca^lse  it  was 
not  bagged)  far  larger  and  far  finer  than  any  obtained. 
The  reason  for  the  so  frequent  loss  of  the  few  birds 
he  hit  was  this,  the  victim  seldom  received  more  than 
a  stray  grain  outside  the  disk  described  by  the  shot, 
and  therefore  Avas  not  generally  seriously  wounded. 
That  there  are  many  like  my  friend  I  know,  and 
I  fear  it  Avill  be  a  hopeless  task  to  endeavor  to 
make  them  good  shots ;  at  the  same  time  I  think 
there  are  many  bad  shots  who  miglit  be  much  im- 
proved. 

I  believe  that  too  nmch  importance  can  not   be 
attached  to  the  stocking  of  your  gun.     Occasional- 


190  GUN,    EOD,    AND    SADDLE. 

ly  you  will  meet  with  men  who  appear  to  do  equal 
execution  with  either  a  crooked,  straight,  long,  or 
short  stock;  but  such' are  rare,  and  when  found  you 
may  feel  certain  that  they  have  possessed  unusual  op- 
portunities for  constant  practice.  The  length  of  man's 
arm,  neck,  and  conformation  of  shoulder  are  so  various, 
that  seldom  will  a  gun  come  up  alike  to  different  in- 
dividuals ;  the  straight,  tall  figure  wants  a  crooked 
stock ;  the  short,  stout  person,  the  reverse  ;  and  inter- 
mediate figures,  the  bend  between  both  extremes.  I 
once  possessed  an  excellent  gun,  with  which  I  inva- 
riably acquitted  myself  creditably.  The  stock  had 
always  been  an  eye-sore,  for  it  was  composed  of  bad 
wood,  and  the  previous  owner  had  chipped  and  scratch- 
ed it  so  badly  that,  after  lengthened  hesitation,  I  deter- 
mined to  have  it  re-stocked.  However,  when  it  re- 
verted from  the  gunmaker  to  my  hands,  I  was  sur- 
prised how  indifixu'ently  I  shot  with  it ;  but,  on  exami- 
nation, I  found  that  the  new  stock  was  much  straighter 
than  the  old.  Again:  being  in  a  neighborhood  where 
game  was  abundant,  when  I  did  not  have  one  of  my 
own  guns  with  me,  I  boi-rov\'ed  fi'om  a  iVicnd,  and  my 
execution  was  so  bad  that  before  the  day  was  over  I 
gave  up  in  disgust.  This  gun's  stock  was  so  straight 
that  1  doubt  if  any  but  its  owner  could  use  it.     In 


HINTS    ON    SHOOTING.  191 

having  a  gun  made,  there  is  nothing  that  should  re- 
ceive from  the  gunmaker  more  careful  attention  than 
the  figure  of  the  purchaser;  for  I  feel  confident  that 
a  \evy  great  deal  of  bad  shooting  is  made  through 
want  of  attention  to  this  point.  Again  :  a  gun  should 
never  possess  a  superfluous  ounce  of  metal  that  is  not 
necessary  to  its  safety.  AVhen  we  start  in  the  morn- 
ing, fresh  and  vigorous,  after  a  good  night's  rest,  the 
weight  may  appear  a  trifle ;  but  in  the  evening,  if  the 
day's  work  has  been  severe — more  especially  on 
grouse  moor  or  snipe  bog — you  will  be  surprised  how 
little  tells,  and  will  induce  you  to  undershoot  your 
game. 

Still  another  equally  important  point  is  the  strength 
that  is  required  to  pull  your  trigger.  After  long  prac  - 
tice  you  may  get  accustomed  to  either  very  fine  or  very 
heavy,  but  wliatever  you  are  used  to,  that  retain.  With 
the  tyro  it  is  difierent.  Through  frequent  experiment 
he  sliould  find  out  what  weight  of  pressure  he  cangive 
Avithout  disconcerting  his  aim  at  the  precise  moment 
that  he  has  obtained  the  firing  line  of  sight.  By  im- 
parting this  knowledge  to  his  gunsmith  he  will  com- 
mence shooting  under  great  advantage.  A  great 
deal,  we  all  know,  depends  upon  a  good  start.  It 
is  almost  equally  applicable  to  life,  horse-racing,  and 


192  GUN,    ROD,    AND   SADDLE. 

• 

shooting.  If  you  begin  under  advantageous  circum- 
stances success  becomes  probable.  Success  begets 
confidence,  and  with  confidence  we  are  certain  to 
shoot  well.  An  habitually  bad  sliot  has  no  confi- 
dence. Constant  failure  makes  him  doubt  his  abili- 
ty, liis  gun,  in  fact,  every  portion  of  his  shooting 
paraphernalia.  Nearly  all  persons  who  do  not  shoot 
regularly,  fire  their  right  barrel  first.  When  such  is 
the  case,  your  left  should  shoot  the  strongest,  as  the 
second  shot  is  so  frequently  at  longer  range.  A 
good  workman,  however,  will  use  either  indifterently, 
and  if  such  can  be  attained  it  should  invariably  be 
practiced,  that  one  barrel  may  not  be  worn  out 
sooner  than  the  other.  A  fault  which  a  great  num- 
ber are  addicted  to,  is  using  too  much  shot.  An 
ounce  of  number  five,  or  au}^  of  the  smaller  sizes,  is 
amply  sufiicient  for  a  twelve-bore  gun.  However, 
if  you  have  reason  to  use  a  larger  grain,  a  quarter 
of  an  ounce  more  may  be  substituted.  The  reason 
for  this  is  that  the  small  packs  the  closer,  and  thus 
makes  a  more  formidable  resistance  to  the  exi)losive 
power.  For  strong  shooting,  and,  tlierefore,  long 
shots,  it  is  the  driving  force  that  is  required,  which  you 
counteract  by  surplus  lead,  for  friction  is  increased 
and  2)owcr  wasted  in  starting  the  charge. 


HINTS  ON  snooTixG.  193 

Old  hands  may  smile  after  reading  the  above,  and 
justly  say,  "The  fellow  has  told  us  nothing  new;" 
but  remember  we  are  not  all  old  hands,  and  that  all 
w^ere  once  beginners,  for  whose  benefit  these  hints 


194  GUN,    KOD,    AND    SADDLE. 


A    OHIj^ESE    mode    of 
FISHIKG. 

In  "Land  and  Water"  is  mentioned  the  circum- 
stance, that  while  a  pleasure  party  were  descending 
the  Thames,  a  large  pike  jumped  on  board  their 
boat.  The  reason  attributed  is  doubtless  the  correct 
one,  but  perhaps  few  of  your  readers  are  aware  that 
in  China  it  is  a  common  practice  to  take  fish  in  this 
way  :  viz.,  by  inducing  them  to  jump  on  board.  I 
do  not  speak  from  hearsay,  but  have  several  times 
witnessed  it,  and  will  endeavor  to  explain  how  it  is 
practiced.  The  boat  used  is  built  for  the  purpose, 
excessively  long,  narrow,  of  light  draught,  and  close 
to  the  water.  A  board  about  three  feet  high  and 
almost  the  length  of  the  boat,  painted  snow  white, 
is  erected  lengtlnvays  on  one  side  or  other,  while  on 
the  reverse  side  from  this  board  is  attached  to  the  gun- 
wale of  the  boat,  a  shelf  nearly  the  length  of  the  boat, 
which  gradually  slopes  to  the  Avater's  edge  also  paint- 
ed white.     When  tiie  weather  is  calm  and  tiie  moon 


A    CHINESE   MODE    OF   FISHING.  195 

brii^ht,  a  sino^le  fisherman  starts  on  the  river  in  this 
craft,  always  shifting  tlie  board  and  ledge  so  that  the 
former  will  be  on  the  far  side  of  the  boat  from  the 
moon,  while  the  latter  is  next  it.  The  fish  see  the 
moonbeams  glancing  off  this  white  arrangement  and, 
why  I  can  not  say,  jump  at  it,  when  they  strike  the 
board  and  fall  into  the  bottom  of  the  boat.  On  two 
occasions  I  examined  the  proceeds  of  John  Chinaman's 
catch,  ^nd  found  it  to  be  principally  composed  of 
gray  mullet,  and  a  representative  of  the  Perka  fami- 
ly. The  Chinese,  to  all  appearance,  are  a  most  stu- 
pid-looking lot,  still  they  are  wonderfully  cunning  in 
circumventing  fish  and  game  ;  another  instance  of 
which  is  their  training  cormorants  to  assist  them  in 
takinoj  fisk 


156 


AMEEICAN  EUFFED  GEOUSE 
AND  PAETEIDGE. 

With  bat  very  few  exceptions  the  grouse  shooting 
for  years  has  been  an  utter  laihire.  Last  year  the 
results  were  the  same,  and  we  find  ourselves  thus 
early  looking  forward  distrustfully  to  the  future, 
hoping,  but  still  doubting,  that  we  shall  ever  again 
enjoy  the  sport  which  was  usually  awarded  to  our 
earlier  experience.  Tlie  grouse  season  for  1868  may 
virtually  be  said  to  have  terminated,  yet  we  are  only 
commencing  September,  about  three  weeks'  very  in- 
different shooting  being  all  the  reward  the  sportsman 
has  received  in  remuneration  for  keeping  up  a  staff 
of  keepers,  a  large  kennel,  and,  if  not  a  proprietor, 
l^aying  a  heavy  rent  for  his  moor,  possibly  not  only 
for  one  but  for  several  seasons  past.  This  is  a  dread- 
ful state  of  affairs,  enough  to  discourage  the  most 
ai-dent,  for  although  he  has  paid  liberally,  still  no  re- 
turns can  be  obtained  at  all  ade({iiate  to  the  outla\\ 
The  journey  to  Scotland  hajs  been  so  jnuch  time  throu'u 


t 


RUFFED  GROUSE  AND  PARTRIDGE.      197 

away,  and  tlie  relaxation  and  j^leasure  well  earned, 
possibly  after  tedious  Parliamentary  duties,  supplant- 
ed by  disgust,  annoyance,  and  disappointment. 

From  the  heather  let  us  look  at  the  stubbles.  !N'ear- 
ly  all  accounts  tally  in  the  smallness  of  the  bags  made 
and  the  extreme  wildness  of  the  birds.  In  this  case 
we  have  not  disease  to  lay  the  paucity  of  sjjort  to, 
but  a  more  than  usually  dry  summer.  Shooting  in 
England  will  thus  be  seen  to  be  a  A^ery  uncertain 
amusement,  for  if  the  birds  should  survive  the  nu- 
merous ailments  of  their  infancy,  our  eccentric  climate 
may  still  intervene,  and  however  good  the  early  pros- 
pects were,  wlien  the  time  for  enjoyment  comes  the 
sp^ntsman  has  to  be  satisfied,  after  hours  of  unsuc- 
cessful tramping,  with  the  information  that  the  heat 
or  wet,  or  a  combination  of  both,  is  the  cause  that 
so  indifferent  a  bag  is  made. 

If  our  game-birds  are  so  susceptible  of  effects,  that 
shooting  becomes  an  amusement  that  can  not  be  look- 
ed forward  to  with  certainty,  the  best  remedy  to  ofter 
is  tlie  introduction  of  foreign  game,  hardy  in  constitu- 
tion, suited  to  our  country  and  the  sportsman's  wants. 
In  time  these  strangers  might  be  influenced  by  tlie 
disadvantages  the  home  birds  suffer  from,  but  we 
would  have  variety,  and  the  season  that  was  unsuited 


198  GUN,    EOD,    AND    SADDLE. 

to  one  species  could  scarcely  be  expected  to  be  so  to 
all.  On  the  12th  of  August,  if  the  grouse  fail,  you 
have  no  shooting.  On  the  1st  of  September,  if  the 
weather  has  been  too  dry  and  the  heat  more  than 
usually  protracted,  the  partridges  are  so  wild  that  in- 
different sport  can  only  be  obtained.  Now  if  the 
ruffed  grouse  and  American  partridge  were  intro- 
duced, if  you  could  not  fill  your  bags  with  one  de- 
scription you  would  with  another,  better  flir  thnn 
returning  empty-handed,  disappointed,  and  probably 
out  of  temper. 

The  reasons  that  induce  me  to  select  these  Ameri- 
can birds  are  that  I  believe  they  are  in  no  way  infe- 
rior to  our  own,  that  they  are  extremely  hardy,  with- 
standing with  impunity  the  intense  lieat  of  the  South- 
ern States'  summer,  or  the  protracted  winters  of  Xew 
England.  Many  I  know  have  objected  to  them,  be- 
cause in  the  wildest  portions  of  that  continent,  Avhere 
man  is  seldom  seen,  when  flushed  they  will  occasion- 
ally perch  on  trees,  but  this  is  not  the  case  in  the  set- 
tled parts,  Avhere  they  have  become  acquainted  with 
dogs  and  guns.  In  tlie  Alk'gliany  3Iount:nns,  Xew 
York,  and  Pennsyhania,  I  never  remember  such  nn 
incident  taking  place.  Again,  some  assert  that  our 
country  is  too  highly  cultivated,  which  I  deny,  lor 


RUFFED  GROUSE  AND  PARTRIDGE.      199 

the  American  partridge  is  only  to  be  found  in  the 
neighborhood  of  farms ;  and  I  have  been  assured  that 
this  bird  is  more  abundant  now  on  the  western  end 
of  Long  Island,  which  is  close  to  the  city  of  Kew 
York,  and  more  carefully  cultivated,  than  it  was  in 
days  gone  by,  and  the  country  more  wild.  The  rufted 
grouse,  on  the  other  hand,  but  requires  irregular 
ground,  plenty  of  water,  and  a  fair  proportion  of  tim- 
ber, and  they  will  attach  themselves  to  a  neighbor- 
hood without  straggling  off  for  parts  unknown,  like 
the  pheasant. 

That  the  ruffed  grouse  will  breed  liere,  there  is 
scarcely  room  for  doubt.  I  know  that  the  American 
partridge  has  already  done  so,  and  that  in  a  state  of 
captivity ;  but  let  the  experiment  be  made — the  cost 
at  most  would  be  but  trifling — and,  if  successful,  their 
importation  could  be  gone  into  on  a  larger  scale. 

In  America,  over  a  great  portion  of  the  country,  their 
partridge  goes  by  the  name  of  quail.  The  same  de- 
lusion appears  to  have  crept  over  here,  and  a  fear  that 
the  introduction  of  this  species  would  be  unsuccessful, 
for  the  reason  that  our  migratory  quail  is  scarcer  now 
than  in  days  gone  by,  from  the  land  being  more  care- 
fully tilled,  is  advanced  as  a  caution  to  those  who  might 
entertain  an  idea  of  making  the  experiment.     The 


200  GUN,    ROD,    AND    SADDLE. 

quail  of  Europe  I  know  Avell ;  I  have  killed  them  in  im- 
mense numbers  in  Spain,  Italy,  and  Greece.  Twenty 
years  ago  in  the  nortli  of  Ireland,  when  partridge 
shooting,  I  seldom  would  conclude  a  day  without  bag- 
ging several  couple;  so  I  have  no  hesitation  in  say- 
ing that  these  birds  are  so  totally  dissimilar,  that 
Avliat  miglit  affect  the  residence  of  one  should  not  be 
entertained  as  an  argument  to  prevent  the  intro- 
duction of  the  other. 


THE   POWEE  OF  A  SHARK'S 
JAW. 

Eight  bells  had  only  struck  a  few  minutes,  and 
the  old  watch  had  been  relieved,  when  the  cap- 
tain came  on  deck  and  ordered  a  man  into  the 
cliaiiis  to  heave  the  lead  and  obtain  correct  sound- 
ings. For  several  days  this  order  had  been  so 
frequently  given  that  it  attracted  little  attention; 
and  only  that  I  happened  to  be  lounging  near  the 
waist  of  the  ship  at  the  time,  ruminating  over  a 
Manilla  cheroot,  I  should  not  have  been  an  eyewit- 
ness to  the  following  incident. 

The  weather  was  thick,  blustering,  and  wet.  For 
a  day  or  two  we  had  been  unable  to  obtain  an  obser- 
vation, and  as  we  were  in  a  most  dangerous  part 
of  the  Chinese  seas,  it  vms  necessary  to  be  more 
tlian  usually  careful.  Moreover,  the  barometer  had 
suddenly  fallen,  a  warning  not  to  be  neglected  dur- 
ing the  typhoon  season;  so  our  cautious  old  Scotch 
captain  was  not  satisfied  with  bringing  on  deck  the 


202  GUN,    ROD,    AND    SADDLE. 

topgallant  yards,  placing  the  ship  under  reefed  top- 
sails, but  had  as  further  precautions  the  lead  hove 
every  half-hour.  Altliough  along  way  off  the  coast, 
t]ie  singing  chant  of  the  leadsman  had  in  the  earlier 
watches  proclaimed  six  fathoms,  six  and  a  lialf:  shoal 
Avater,  all  will  say,  for  the  center  of  a  vast  sea;  but 
for  days  between  the  Straits  of  Sunda  and  the  mouth 
of  the  Canton  River  yon  may  sail  without  wetting 
the  knots  that  mark  ten  fathoms. 

It  may  be  necessary  to  explain,  for  the  benefit  of 
the  uninitiated,  that  the  deep-sea  lead  is  a  bar  of 
that  metal  about  two  feet  long  gradually  tapering 
from  the  base  (which  is  about  four  or  live  inches  in 
diameter)  to  the  top,  where  the  line  is  made  f^ist. 
In  the  base  is  a  deep  indentation,  containing  about 
half  a  pound  of  lard,  whicli  coming  in  contact  with 
the  bottom,  informs  the  navigator  (by  the  particles 
tliat  adhere)  of  what  formation  the  surface  of  mother 
earth  is  composed.  The  line  which  is  attached  is  of 
various  lengths  (a  hundred  fathoms,  I  think,  was  on 
this  occasion),  carefully  coih'd  in  a  tub,  so  that  notli- 
ing  can  prevent  it  being  freely  paid  out. 

Well,  the  lead  was  hove,  and  rapidly  tlie  line  ran 
out ;  five,  six,  seven  fathoms  were  passed,  still  no 
stop, — on,  on,  till  double  that  luimber,  yet  no  indi- 


203 

cation  of  bottom.  The  captain  looked  snrprised, 
but  said  nothing,  till  a  third  of  the  contents  of  the 
tub  had  gone  over  board,  and  then  he  uttered  an  ex- 
clamation very  forcible,  but  far  from  polite.  How- 
ever this  did  not  alter  matters,  for  soon  scarce  twen- 
ty fathoms  were  left.  The  seaman  was  now  ordered 
to  stop  the  line,  and  in  doing  so  exclaimed,  after  a 
violent  effort,  that  he  was  unable.  Two  or  three  turns 
round  a  belaying-pin  soon  settled  this  difficulty,  and 
at  lenofth  the  lead  was  drawn  on  board.  On  being^ 
handled,  it  was  found  to  be  very  much  cut ;  so,  to 
have  a  better  inspection,  it  was  transferred  at  once  to 
the  chart-room.  On  examination  we  found  on  the 
reverse  sides  a  succession  of  furrows  over  half  an 
inch  deep,  out  of  which  we  picked,  with  the  point 
of  the  compasses,  a  number  of  broken  fragments  of 
a  large  shark's  teeth.  The  opinion  of  the  majority 
was  that  the  brute  had  smelt  the  fat  and  been  thus 
induced  to  lay  hold.  From  my  knowledge  of  the 
habits  of  the  fish,  I  believe  he  was  attracted  by  the 
glitter  of  the  metal  passing  rapidly  through  the 
water;"  imder  either  circumstance,  the  rapidity  with 
wdiich  he  must  have  dashed  through  the  water  to 
seize  his  prey,  is  a  proof  of  the  agility  with  which 
some  of  the  species  of  this  genus  are  possessed.  The 


204  GUN,   EOD,    AND    SADDLE. 

araoimt  of  strength  of  jaw  necessary  to  make  such 
deep  indentations  on  a  bar  of  lead  four  or  five  inches 
in  diameter,  can  scarcely  be  conceived  possible  in  a 
cartilaginous  fish.  If  this  shark  is  still  alive,  I  pity 
the  sailor  that  chances  to  fall  over  board  in  his  neigh- 
borhood. 


BLACK   BXiS    AND   MUSKALLOXGE   FISHING.       205 


BLACK    BASS    AISTD    MUSK- 
ALL0:N'GE    FISHING. 

In  the  memory  of  the  past  there  are  always  remi- 
niscences the  recalling  of  which  give  us  the  greatest 
pleasure.  Such  is  particularly  the  case  with  me  when 
I  tliiuk  of  the  scenes  and  events  which  I  am  about  to 
endeavor  to  describe.  I  was  living  -on  the  confines 
of  civilization  literally,  for  there  was  but  one  residence 
farther  nortli  than  the  house  of  which  I  was  an  inmate, 
and  it  was  inhabited  by  a  canny  Scot,  who  never  knew 
what  it  was  to  take  a  day's  relaxation,  his  entire  ener- 
gy, early  and  late,  being  devoted  to  the  improvement 
of  his  homestead.  Shortly  after  my  arrival  I  paid  him  a 
visit,  but  I  found  that  information  on  shooting  matters 
would  have  to  be  obtained  through  my  own  exertions, 
for  more  than  a  complaint  against  Bruin  occasionally 
depriving  him  of  a  pig,  he  knew  literally  nothing  of 
the  sporting  capabilities  of  his  neighborhood.  It  is 
always  pleasant  on  a  new  field  of  operations  to  obtain 
a  slight  inkling  of  what  you  may  expect.    It  is  far  from 


206  GUN,    ROD,    AND   SADDLE. 

agreeable  to  have  to  draw  a  cliarp;e  of  siiipe-sliot, 
and  thus  lose  time,  to  substitute  B  B,  or  perliaps  ball, 
small  game  being  expected  and  large  game  found. 
The  locality  of  which  I  am  about  to  speak  is  at  the 
extreme  northern  end  of  Lake  Simcoe,  where  one 
uninterrupted  forest  extends  northward  for  several 
hundred  miles  to  the  banks  of  the  Upper  Ottawa, 
except  when  an  occasional  lake  or  river  occurs  to  break 
the  monotony  of  this  ocean  of  timber.  In  wandering 
about  the  neighborhood  of  my  temporary  residence, 
about  two  miles  fi-om  home  I  came  uj)on  one  of  those 
beautiful  little  sheets  of  water  so  frequently  found 
upon  the  northern  portion  of  tlie  American  continent. 
This  soon  became  a  favorite  retreat,  for  wild  duck 
were  numerous  on  a  portion  where  wild  rice  grew 
luxuriantly,  and  wood  pigeons  and  spruce  grouse  had 
adopted  it  as  a  watering-phice,  owing  to  its  freedom 
from  intruders.  All  devoted  admirers  of  nature  know 
what  a  pleasure  it  is  to  be  alone  where  none  of  man's 
work  mars  the  prospect,  where  every  object  the  eye 
rests  upon  is  as  it  came  from  the  Creator's  hands,  unsul- 
lied and  unchanged.  As  I  sat  on  a  rocky  promontory  to 
seethe  sun  dip  the  horizon,  perliaps  visions  of  my  distant 
land  and  far-oiffriends  flitting  before  me,  I  was  struck 
with  the  immense  numbers  of  fish  that  kept  breaking 


BLACK   BASS    AND   MIJ3KALL0NGE    FISHING.      207 

the  unrippled  surface, — good  evidence  that  the  rod 
and  Ime  might  find  abundant  work,  and  on  tlie  next 
visit  I  determined  to  put  it  to  the  test. 

To  those  wlio  are  acquainted  Avith  the  "birch-bark 
canoe  it  is  needless  for  me  to  say  any  thing.  All 
the  praises  I  could  sound  could  not  further  enhance 
it  in  their  estimation  ;  but  to  those  who  are  not,  to 
them  let  me  snj^  that  there  is  not  in  existence  a 
more  perfect  piece  of  mechanism  for  the  purpose 
it  is  intended.  Only  learn  to  handle  it  properly, 
and  you  can  go  in  it  anywhere,  over  shoals,  down 
rapids,  through  channels  where  an  -  oar  would  be 
useless,  and  finally,  if  necessary,  you  can  take 
it  on  your  shoulders  and  tramp  across  portages 
where  nothing  but  an  ox-team  could  transport  a 
boat.  In  construction  they  are  models  of  skill, 
yet  the  Indian  alone  knows  liow^  to  make  them  ;  for 
although  a  white  man  may  occasionally  attempt 
their  manufacture,  they  never  do  so  successfully. 
On  the  following  day,  with  my  birch-bark  on 
my  shoulders,  looking  like  a  gigantic  animated 
letter  T,  I  crossed  the  portage  wdth  a  formidable 
array  of  lines  and  artificial  baits,  full  of  most 
mischievous  intent  toward  the  finny  tribe.  This 
day  the  surface  was  broken  by  that  desirable  ripj^le, 


208 

whether  it  be  for  trolling  or  fly-fishing,  and  dark 
clouds  occasionally  darkened  with  their  shadow  the 
face  of  the  water.  With  exhilarating  freedom,  deep 
I  dipped  my  paddle,  pushing  for  the  rocky  end, 
waiting  till  I  had  crossed  the  centre  of  the  lake  be- 
fore I  commenced  to  fish ;  for,  as  a  rule,  unless  there 
should  happen  to  be  a  reef,  seldom  any  fish  will  be 
taken  far  from  the  margin.  When  alone  in  a  canoe 
one  line  will  be  found  as  much  as  can  be  conveni- 
ently attended  to,  for  the  navigation  of  your  craft 
requires  both  hands.  Getting  under  good  headway, 
I  soon  had  twenty-five  to  thirty  yards  of  liiip  astei'n, 
with  a  few  inches  of  red  cloth  for  lure,  which  proved 
so  attractive  that  I  almost  immediately  had  a  break, 
and  in  a  moment  or  two  afterward  a  fish  hoiked. 
Of  all  plucky,  determined  fish,  to  Black  Bass  I 
give  the  palm,  they  are  so  thoroughly  reckless  in 
their  efforts  to  escape, — first  springing  from  the 
water,  then  possibly  coming  at  you  like  a  cricket- 
ball,  giving  you  often  more  than  you  can  do  to  get  the 
line  out  of  their  way, — next  dashing  to  the  right  or 
left,  and  only  succumbing  when  exhausted  nature 
refuses  to  do  more.  For  two  or  three  hours  such 
was  the  sport  which  continued  with  never  over  a  few 
minutes'  cessation. 


BLACK  BASS  AND  MUSKALLONGE  FISHLN^G.   209 

As  I  pushed  slowly  along  the  shore  I  came  to  a 
river  previously  unknown  to  me,  and  which  I  liave 
since  learned  is  the  only  outlet  from  this  lake.  Tlie 
edgje  of  this  stream  was  frino'ed  with  a  dense  net- 
work  of  weeds,  and  the  channel  had  scarcely  a  per- 
ceptible current.  On  breaking  full  in  view  several 
dozens  of  wild  duck  rose,  conspicuous  among  whom 
were  many  of  the  beautiful  wood  duck,  a  gem  among 
his  brilliant-plumed  race.  What  a  pity  at  home  we 
could  not  acclimatize  this  bird,  but  I  fear  his  migra- 
tory habits  would  sadly  interfere.  The  sedgy  na- 
ture of  the  shore  here  predicted  pike,  so,  replacing 
the  red  cloth  by  a  large  Buell's  spoon  with  some 
scarlet  ibis  feathers  tied  along  the  slianks  of  the  hooks, 
I  again  tried  my  fortune.  Few  who  have  not  heard 
of  the  muskallonge,  the  king  in  stature  of  the  pike 
family.  He  is  to  be  found  in  nearly  all  the  rivers 
and  lakes  of  northern  Canada.  Among  the  shoals 
and  rapids  of  "The  Thousand  Islands,"  on  the  St. 
Lawrence,  he  is  said  to  attain  an  immense  size,  even 
eighty  pounds  ;  but  the  largest  I  have  seen  did  not 
exceed  two-thirds  of  that  weight.  Such  large  fish  as 
the  above  I  had  not  on  that  occasion  to  deal  with, 
but  before  I  ceased,  the  bottom  of  my  canoe  Jiad  a 
goodly  show  of  bass  and  pike :  so  many,  that  I  was 


210 

satisfied  to  select  three  or  four  for  present  use  and 
liide  the  others,  with  my  birch-hark,  till  I  could  send 
across  for  them  in  the   morning ;  but   a  couple   of 
bears,  judging  from  the  different-sized  tracks,  got  at 
my  cache  during  the  night,  and  had  the  bad  taste  to 
maul  and  pull  about  what  they  did  not  eat,  so  that  I 
rejected  it  as  unfit  for  food.      Fish  I  have  always 
found  the  most  tempting  bait  with  which  to  attract 
Bruin  into  a  trap,  so  I  built  a  bower-house  and  hung 
up  the  bait  at  the  end  of  it,  with  ray  trap  nicely  cov- 
ered with  leaves ;   still  all  would  not  do,  he  ar.d  his 
companion    were    too   wide   awake,  or  had   left  the 
neighborhood.     This  lake  I  often  visited  again,  and 
with  equal  success ;  the  influences  of  weather  never 
appeared  to  affect  the  fishes'  appetites,  and  they  arc 
always  a  welcome  addition  to  a  backwoodman's  faro. 
In  company  of  a  Chippewa  Iiidian  I  also  ti-ied  fisli- 
ing  through  the  ice.     The  method  adopted  is  simple, 
viz.,  cutting  a  hole  two  or  three  feet  in  diameter, 
over  wliich  is  built  a  small  hut  to  keep  out  the  liglit 
and  sufiiciently  large  for  tlie  fisherman  to  sit  inside, 
the  end  of  his  fish-spear  protruding  tlirough  the  top. 
With  an  artificial  minnow  on  a  few  feet  of  line  in  the 
left  hand,  and  weighted  so  as  to  make  it  readily  sink, 
you  attract  the  pike  to  the   surface,  when,  Avith  a 


BLACK   BASS    AND   MUSKALLONGE   FISHING.       211 

dexterous  blow,  you  drive  your  leister  home.  Very 
much  like  poaching ;  still  where  fish  are  so  abundant 
and  wanted  for  food,  this  system  becomes  less  cul- 
pable. 

At  the  northern  end  of  Lake  Couchachin,  the 
beautiful  Severn,  after  tumbling  over  a  grand  fall, 
starts  on  its  erratic,  precipitous  course  for  Lake 
LIuron.  To  visit  this  spot  was  not  more  than  seven 
or  eight  miles  of  water,  through  a  labyrinth  of  islands, 
and  along  the  most  picturesquely  beautiful  shore, 
wooded  to  the  margin.  Beside  the  fall  was  a  saw- 
mill belonging  to  a  descendant  of  the  French  aris- 
tocracy, who  had  emigrated  before  the  days  of 
"  The  Empire."  Whether  or  not  the  proprietor  hap- 
pened to  be  at  home,  a  cordial  welcome  could  be  re- 
lied upon,  and  the  fishing  underneath  the  fall  was 
always  excellent — sometimes  so  good  that  your  bait 
would  scarcely  touch  the  water  ere  it  was  seized. 
However,  there  was  one  drawback,  for  the  spot  was 
infested  with  snakes,  particularly  a  large,  thick,  dir- 
ty-brown water  species,  which  looked  exceedingly 
venomous.  From  the  indifference  with  which  the 
mill  hands  treated  them,  I  imagine  their  look  was 
worse  than  their  bite.  They  had,  however,  a  pen- 
chant for  minnow,  for  I  saw  one  captured  on  the 


212  GUN,    EOD,    AN"D    SADDLE. 

hook.  As  the  wikl  fowl  migrate  this  is  a  splendid 
stand ;  for  if  the  weather  is  in  the  least  stormy,  with 
an  indication  of  cold,  the  ducks  keep  passing  all  day, 
and  their  flight  im^ariably  is  so  low  that  they  are 
well  within  range.  By  following  the  Severn  down 
to  its  junction  with  Lake  Huron,  plenty  of  occupa- 
tion can  be  found  for  both  rod  and  gun ;  and  the  ap- 
petite your  open-air  life  w^ill  impart  will  make  all  you 
eat  taste  superior  to  any  thing  obtained  in  civilized 
quarters. 


LIFTIXO   THE   TRAPS.  213 


LIFTIITG    THE    TEAPS. 

Ox  the  northwest  of  the  State  of  Maine  exists  a 
ridge  of  hills  which  divide  it  from  the  township  of 
Success,  ill  the  State  of  Xew  Hampshire.  Whatever 
may  have  been  the  cause  (possibly  the  presumption 
of  the  uamor),  it  has  remained  as  wild  and  unsettled, 
as  it  was  in  the  days  when  the  whole  country  be- 
longed to  the  aborigines.  Xo,  I  make  a  mistake  ;  a  ruin 
of  a  tumble-dov/n  diminutive  barn,  on  close  scrutiny, 
may  be  found.  The  area  of  tliis  township  is  composed 
of  an  immense  meadow  (through  which  a  clear  but  deep 
and  sluggish  stream  flows)  and  the  pine-clad  slopes 
that  divide  it  from  the  State  of  Maine.  For  some 
weeks  I  had  been  residing  eight  or  ten  miles  distant 
from  Success.  Tlie  person  in  whose  house  I  stayed  was 
a  trapper  during  winter,  when  the  inhospitable  climate 
foiled  any  attempt  at  cultivating  what  at  no  season 
was  a  productive  soil.  Night  after  night  with  pleas- 
ure I  listened  to  his  stories  of  how  he  had  run  down 


214  GUIS-,  ROD,  AND  SADDLE. 

this  moose,  shot  that  caribou,  or  at  length  trapped 
the  most  troublesome  of  bears. 

For  some  days  my  fly-rod  had  been  indefatigably 

most  successfully  at  work,  furnisliing  not  only  my  own 

table,    but  many   of   the  neighboring  families  with 

trout,  so  that  a  change  of  programme  was  far  from 

unacceptable.     One  morning  as  I  was  deliberating  in 

which  direction  I  would  go,  my  host  asked  me  if  I 

should  have  any  objection  to  accompany  him  to  lift 

some  traps  he  had  not  visited  since  spring,   ■  The  trip 

promised  an  acquaintance  Aviih  a  new  beat,  and  an 

insiglit  into  what  I  was  not  as  yet  conversant  with 

in  tliis  section  of  the  American  continent,  viz.,  the 

method  followed  of  trapping  martens.     As  the  sun 

was  rising  over  the  eastern  hills — for  these  primitive 

people  are  early  risers — we  found  ourselves  about  to 

leave  the  surveyed  road.     My  friend  bore  on  his  back 

a  sack  in  which  to  place  his  long-neglected  traps,  while 

I  carried  my  trusty  ten-bore  double  gun,  loaded  by 

request  with  ball  in  one  barrel,  and  buck-sliot  in  the 

other.     Our  route  at  first  was  through  a  dense  cedar 

swamp,  exceedingly  irregular  on  the  surface,  while  the 

undergrowth   was  so  close  tliat  it  was  witli  difficulty 

palled  ;  a  t'hick  coating  of  moss  was  under  foot,  so 

spongy  and  full  of  water  tliat  il"we  remained  station- 


LIFTING    THE   TKAPS.  215 

ary  for  a  few  seconds  we  would  be  over  the  insteps  in 
water.  Nevertheless,  the  tracks  of  the  American  hare 
were  innumerable  ;  an  animal,  by  the  bye,  Avhich  I  be- 
lieve very  closely  allied  to  the  Scotch  mountain  hare, 
slightly  changed  by  climate  and  different  habits  of 
life,  caused  by  the  very  dissimilar  localities  in  which 
they  are  found.  A  blazed  path  was  all  we  had  for 
direction,  but  as  both  were  in  the  full  vigor  of  man- 
hood, we  steadily  progressed.  Several  times  we  flushed 
the  Canadian  willow  grouse,  but  as  my  projectiles 
were  not  suited  to  this  stamp  of  game,  and  ray  com- 
panion continually  kept  informing  me  that  larger 
might  be  looked  for,  I  forbore  troubling  them. 

From  the  swamp  we  got  on  drier  soil,  very  rocky, 
and  densely  wooded  with  pine,—  such  glorious  pine- 
trees  as  might  one  day  form,  without  discredit,  the 
mainmast  of  a  three-decker. 

Upward,  like  the  youth  who  shouted  "  Excelsior," 
we  kept  ascending,  but  Ave  had  not  the  maiden  to  warn 
us,  but  whose  warning  I  doubt  not,  unless  she  had 
been  unusually  pretty,  would  have  been  disregarded. 
Soon  the  walking  became  climbing,  and  after  an 
hour's  clambering-  the  summit  of  the  ridg:e  was  reach- 
ed.  Here  the  first  trap  was  lifted,  and  at  intervals  of 
two  hundred  yards  or  so,  according  to  the  nature  of 


216 


the  ground,  the  others  were  found  distributed.  As 
tliey  had  been  down  for  nearly  two  months,  whatever 
had  been  captured  was  found  in.  a  decomposed  state. 
Soon  the  whole  had  been  gathered,  over  a  dozen, 
when  we  descended  to  a  stream  literallj^  alive  with 
fish;  trout  of  all  sizes  up  to  a  pound,  appeared  to  be 
actually  crowding  each  other,  while  our  presence  by 
them  was  totally  disregarded.  Lunch-time  had  ar- 
rived, and  on  the  margin  of  the  brook  we  enjoyed  our 
meal ;  several  of  the  trout  which  my  companion  had 
taken  with  the  most  primitive  tackle,  and  rod  cut  from 
the  nearest  tree,  forming  no  inconsiderable  portion  of 
the  meal. 

After  a  smoke  and  half  hour's  dawdle,  we  started 
on  our  return,  following  an  entirely  different  route, 
still  equally  disadvantageous  for  rapid  progression. 
During  our  homeward  tramp  I  learned  that  martens 
could  only  be  taken  on  the  highest  ridges,  and  that  the 
bait  used  was  either  a  red  squirrel,  the  beautifid  little 
cedar-bird,  or  the  heart  or  liver  of  the  American  hare. 
I  vras  not  a  little  surprised  at  the  number  of  times  my 
companion  halted  to  inquire  if  my  gun  was  all  right, 
more  especially  as  so  far  we  had  seen  no  indications 
of  large  game,  exce])ting  some  broken-up  stumi)s, 
moved  logs,  or  scratched  trees  where  Bruin  long  since 


LIFTING   THE    TRAPS.  217 

had  been  searching  for  insects  or  stretching  himself. 
As  the  sun  set,  we  once  more  regained  the  path,  well 
fatigued  with  our  rough  and  protracted  tramp,  myself 
not  a  little  disgusted  that  I  had  seen  nothing  sufficient- 
ly large  to  be  worthy  of  considering  fit  game  for  the 
heavy  missiles  which  both  my  barrels  contained ;  in 
fact,  I  could  not  help  openly  grumbling  that  I  should 
have  been  inveigled  into  such  a  useless  journey,  to 
which  I  was  informed  that  I  might  thank  my  stars  we 
had  got  back  safe.  With  this  answer  for  the  time  I 
liad  to  be  satisfied,  but  that  evening  the  mystery  came 
out,  and  the  selfish  motives  that  had  dictated  my 
companionship  being  sought.  I  will  endeavor  to 
state  the  story  as  told  by  the  trapper. 

Last  April,  when  the  snow  was  on  the  ground,  I 
laid  out  the  traps  we  have  to-day  lifted.  The  travel- 
ing was  very  bad  at  the  time,  for  it  was  near  the 
break-up  of  winter.  I  got  along  the  ridge  all  right ; 
but  as  I  thought  the  vv^alking  would  be  better  to  re- 
turn as  I  had  come,  I  had  determined  to  retrace  my 
steps.  I  had  scarcely  turned  about  when  I  found  to 
my  surprise,  the  print  of  an  animal  following  my  old 
track.  I  looked  in  every  direction  to  see  where  the 
follower  could  be,   but  was  unable  to  detect   him. 

However,  I  knew  well  that  the  skulking  villain  was 
10 


218  GUN,    EOD,    AND    SADDLE. 

no  other  than  a  painter  (Anr/llch.  puma) ;  and  as  I 
had  oidy  my  old  shigle-barrel  loaded  witli  bird-sliot, 
1  became  justly  scared.  All  of  a  tremble,  I  started  for 
home,  and  you  may  bet  I  made  tracks.  The  very  evi- 
dence of  the  brute  following  me,  showed  lie  was  after 
no  good,  and  I  was  right;  for  as  I  drew  near  the  out- 
side edge  of  the  swamp  I  saw  liim  riglit  ahead;  but  I 
went  out  of  the  way  to  avoid  him,  and  after  I  left  the 
wood  I  heard  him  howl,  doubtless  in  anger  because 
he  had  missed  having  me  for  suppei*. 

At  the  time  I  could  not  help  tliinking  that  my 
liost  had  been  needlessly  alarmed,  and  tohl  him  so, 
when  he  informed  me  tliat  notliing  would  liave  in- 
duced him  to  return  alone — in  fact,  that  he  would 
sooner  have  lost  his  traps  than  do  so ;  that  a  painter 
in  tliose  regions,  more  especially  in  winter,  was  much 
to  be  dreaded,  and  in  corroboration  informed  me  of  a 
little  tragedy  that  occurred  some  years  past  in  the 
same  neighborhood.  Two  friends  once  trapped  tlie 
toAvnship  of  Success.  They  had  two  beat  s,  running  in 
reverse  directions,  while  tlie  slianty  in.  winch  they 
both  lived  together  was  situated  equally  distant  tV(^m 
each.  Tlie  one  who  examined  the  traps  to  the  noilh 
to-day,  visited  those  to  the  south  to-morrow,  chang- 
ing their   routes  witli  each  other  daily,  and  always 


LIFTING  thp:  traps.  219 

meeting  at  night  at  their  common  residence.  Al- 
most half  the  season  had  thus  passed  away,  wlien  the 
trapper  who  had  returned  for  the  night  became  se- 
riously alarmed  at  the  continued  absence  of  his  friend. 
At  length  the  little  cur  dog  who  constantly  accom- 
panied the  missing  man  came  home  alone.  There  is 
an  end  to  every  thing,  and  so  there  is  to  a  long  winter 
night ;  and  with  the  earliest  indications  of  day  he 
sallied  forth  to  find  the  missing  trapper,  whom  he 
found- dreadfully  mangled  and  partially  eaten.  The 
assassin  had  been  a  painter.  The  tracks  on  the 
tell-tale  snow  spoke  correctly.  About  thirty  feet 
above  where  the  corpse  lay,  an  immense  limb  ran  out 
at  i-ight  angles  from  the  parent  tree.  From  this 
the  skulking  coward  had  doubtless  sprung  u])on  the 
unsuspecting  trapper. 

That  the  puma  has  attacked  and  killed  human  be- 
ings is  well  corroborated  ;  but  fortunately  he  is  such 
a  cowardly,  skulking  scoundrel,  that  he  seldom  makes 
the  attempt. 


220  GCN,   HOD,    AXD   SAEDLE. 


STEAjSTGE  fish  in  CALAIf 
MAINE. 

The  strange  fish  lately  caught  on  the  coast  of  the 
State  of  Maine,  and  dubbed  the  shark  dog-fish  by 
some  of  the  learned  in  those  regions,  I  have  little 
doubt,  from  the  description  given  in  American  peri- 
odicals ^s  the  basking-shark,  for  these  reasons,  that 
the  basking-shark  has  been  found  on  the  Newfound- 
land banks  not  far  from  that  neighborhood,  that  the 
basking-shark  is  the  only  proper  fish  with  wdiich  we 
are  acquainted  that  grows  to  this  gigantic  size, 
thirty-three  feet  long  ;  that  it  could  not  belong  to  the 
wliale  family,  or  the  inhabitants  of  that  section  of  the 
coast,  from  their  long  experience  and  connection 
with  the  whale  fisheries,  Avould  have  known  it,  and 
given  it  eitlier  its  proper  name  or  a  local  one  recog- 
nizable ;  and  that  from  its  being  so  excessively  like 
an  ordinary  white  or  blue  shark,  with  wliich  the 
American  coast  abounds.  To  make  the  name  more 
telling  or  characteristic  it  is  christened  with  a  Chris- 


STRANGE   FlSn    IN   CALMS,     MxilXE.  221 

tian  name  aud  surnaraG,  each  of  different  species  of 
the  same  genus.  Don't  laugh  at  the  Yankee  misno- 
mer; remember  the  tunny  that  was  melted  down  in- 
to an  albicore  by  some  of  our  educated  fellow-citizens 
and  accepted  natural  historians.  But  still  the  most 
important  part  of  the  mystery  remains  nnexplained. 
The  anal  tins  of  tlie  basking-shark  have  an  elongation 
of  a  different  color  and  textnre  from  the  balance  of 
these  lius,  which,  if  broken,  would  look  excessively 
like  a  flipper  on  a  small  scale.  If  the  carcass  had 
been  knocking  about  on  the  coast  for  some  time  be- 
fore it  was  stranded,  is  it  not  very  possible  that  this 
fragile  portion  of  the  anal  fins  would  get  broken  ? 
and  hence  the  fractured  members  in  the  imaginative 
minds  of  the  country  people,  be  supposed  nitended  to 
perform  the  functions  of  feet.  It  lias  long  been  be- 
lieved that  the  basking-shark  lives  principally  on  ma- 
rine vegetable  matter,  although  on  dissection  one  was 
found  to  contain  a  portion  of  a  mangled  crab.  In 
my  opinion  a  desire  for  romancing  or  attaching  mys- 
tery to  a  strange  animal  has  induced  the  good  people 
of  "  away  down  East "  to  exaggerate  the  most  stria 
ing  peculiarities. 


223  GUS,   EOD,    AND   SADDLE. 


BUFFALO    PLAIN'S. 

WiTiiix  the  last  year  or  two  tlie  borders  of  Mis- 
souri and  Kansas,  where  tliey  adjoin,  liave  become 
so  much  altered,  from  the  springing  up  of  new  towns, 
and  the  making  of  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific  Kailroad, 
that  the  points  which  were  formerly  considered  the 
best  starting-places  for  the  plains,  on  account  of  their 
being  situated  on  the  verge  of  civilization,  are  deemed 
so  no  longer.  However,  as  in  days  gone  by,  I  should 
choose  Leavenworth  for  commencing  outdoor  life, 
if  the  intention  were  to  reach  the  hunting  ground  by 
land.  Although  all  frontier  towns  are  to  be  avoided, 
from  the  number  of  loafers  and  blackguards  that 
constantly  haunt  them,  Leavenworth  nowadays  can 
scarcely  be  classed  in  this  light ;  moreover,  the  reli- 
able and  minute  information  with  which  you  will  be 
furnished  by  the  ever-kindliearted  officers  of  tluj 
United  States'  regular  army  stationed  in  its  fort,  is 
most  desirable  to  obtain.  But  instead  of  going  by 
land,  I  would  by  choice  take  the  river  route  by  one 


BUFFALO    PLAINS.  223 

of  the  numerous  trading-boats  that  sail  for  the  upper 
waters  of  the  Missouri,  every  May,  from  St.  Louis. 
Here,  also,  I  would  purchase  my  horses  and  stores, 
which  when  once  on  board  would  be  safe  and  well 
taken  care  of  till  requii'ed.  However,  to  avoid  tlie 
tedious  journey  up  the  river  to  Leavenworth,  I  should 
leave  my  traps  and  nags  (provided  I  had  an  attend- 
ant), and  go  by  train  to  Leavenworth.  Of  course  it 
would  be  even  better,  if  your  party  be  large  enough, 
and  do  not  object  to  expense,  to  charter  a  boat  of 
your  own,  as  you  would  then  always  have  a  com- 
fortable home,  good  hard  food  for  your  horses,  and 
the  means  of  transporting  many  luxuries,  which  it 
would  be  impossible  to  carry  with  a  limited  number 
of  pack  mules,  for  the  river  is  navigable  through  a 
large  portion  of  the  best  hunting  range,  and  from 
the  boats  being  of  very  liglit  draught  you  can  land 
or  ship  your  horses  without  trouble  ;  on  man 5^  occa- 
sions, while  the  vessel  is  progressing  onward,  you 
may  be  hunting,  for  the  bends  in  the  river  are  fre- 
quejit  and  abrupt.  The  exact  places  where  buifalo 
Avill  be  found  is  difficult  to  say.  Li  summer  they 
keep  going  north,  feeding  on  the  just-sprouted  grass, 
up  to  almost  the  sixtieth  degree  of  latitude,  while  in 
autumn  their  progress  is  south,  till  Xew  Mexico  and 


224 


GTTN,    ROD,    AND    SADDLE. 


Texas  is  reached  ;  nor  do  they  follow'  the  same  mutes 
yearly,  the  section  of  country  passed  over  one  season 
often  being  deserted  for  years.  A  few  years  ago  the 
Black  Hills  used  to  be  a  favorite  wintering-place  of 
the  hunter  and  game,  but  it  was  ever  dangerous  from 
hostile  Indians.  All  are  now  fled  that  locality,  hunt- 
ers, game,  and  Indians,  and  the  formerly  lonely  sier- 
ras and  woods  now  echo  to  the  navvies'  whistle,  the 
stroke  of  the  chopper's  ax,  or  the  grunting  of  the 
locomotive;  but  why  I  mention  the  Black  Hills  is, 
that  between  them  and  the  waters  of  the  Yellow 
Stone  and  the  Upper  Missouri  the  sportsman  can  not 
fail  to  obtain  more  game  than  it  is  possible  to  mak(. 
use  of. 


EENOOUKTEE   WITH   A  BEAR.  225 


EEN"COUNTEE  WITH  A  BEAR. 

I2C  America  a  bear-story  and  a  snake-story  are 
synonymous,  to  tlie  generality  of  listeners,  to  cram- 
mers. Knowing  such  to  be  the  case  a  man  can  not 
help  approaching  this  subject  without  nervous  feel- 
ings, particularly  when  a  bear  figures  as  one  of  the 
principals  among  the  dramatis  personcB  of  the  narra- 
tive. But  it  matters  not,  travelers  appear  to  be  born 
to  be  doubted.  I  do  not  hesitate  to  say  that  they 
will  sometimes  romance,  but  invariably  the  fiction 
portion  is  credited  and  the  reality  ignored.  We  do 
not  need  to  look  at  the  experience  of  modern  tim  >s, 
our  forefathers  were  impregnated  with  the  samo 
spirit ;  vide  the  reception  poor  Bruce  received  after 
his  incredible  hardsliips  in  ISTubia  and  Abyssinia. 

A  friend,  in  the  true  sense  of  the  word,  and  myself 
went  to  visit  a  small  lake  that  was  reported  to  swarm 
with  trout,  almost  believing  that  no  such  place  ex- 
isted, but  as  a  tramp  through  the  woods  was  never 

objectionable  we  determined   to  make  an  effort  to 
10* 


226  GUX,   ROD,    AND   SADDLE. 

find  it  out.  An  old  lumberman,  long  superannuated, 
gave  us  our  instructions  thus  :  "  First  go  through  the 
woods  two  miles  north,  then  incline  a  little  to  the 
westward,  and  after  about  half-an-hour's  walking 
through  a  swamp  you  will  strike  a  small  brook,  which 
follow  up  and  you  will  certain  sure  make  the  pond."* 
To  those  who  have  not  wandered  through  an  Ameri- 
can forest,  such  instructions  will  be  perceived  to  be 
far  from  lucid;  to  the  thorough  woodsman,  however, 
it  would  be  sufficient.  Before  we  left  the  township 
road  where  we  were  to  branch  off,  there  stood  % 
shanty,  at  which  we  halted  to  put  up  the  horse  and 
buggy  in  which  we  had  thus  far  traveled.  From 
the  head  of  the  establishment  we  made  inquiries, 
who,  calling  to  his  son,  who  was  within,  gave  the  fol- 
lowing directions — "  Bub,f  take  the  gents  and  show 
them  the  pond."  Now  "  Bub"  was  a  most  commu- 
nicative youngster  about  fourteen  years  of  age,  and 
scenting  a  dollar  in  the  distance,  hopefully  undertook 
the  job.  A  cow-path  we,  the  trio,  followed  for  more 
than  a  mile,  then  we  continued  on  what  is  familiarly 
designated  a  blaze  road — id  est,  a  path  marked  out 

*  Small  lakes  in  Maine  are  always  called  ponds. 
f  A   Yankee   father's   familiar  way  of   addressing  liis   son; 
daughters  after  the  same  manner  are  called  ''  siss." 


RENCOUNTER    WITH    A    BEAR.  227 

by  a  tree  at  every  hundred  yards,  more  or  less,  hav- 
ing a  piece  scooped  out  of  its  bark.  The  walking 
was  as  bad  as  possible,  for  constantly  we  were  de- 
layed by  giants  of  the  forest  wJio  had  been  pros- 
trated by  the  gales  of  the  preceding  winters.  At 
length,  tired  and  frightfully  worried  by  mosquitoes, 
we  reached  a  brook  eight  or  ten  feet  in  diameter,  but 
deep  and  sullen  as  a  canal ;  down  this  we  pursued  an 
erratic  course  till  between  two  lofty  bluifs  we  came 
upon  a  beautiful  sheet  of  water  of  an  area  of  about 
forty  acres.  To  fish  it  from  the  banks  was  impossi- 
ble, for  the  sumac  and  cedar  grew  to  its  margin, 
so  that  no  other  resource  was  left  but  to  cut  a  num- 
ber of  cedar  logs  and  form  a  raft.  An  hour  or 
more  was  lost  in  this  operation,  and  when  we  had 
launched  out  we  found  that  nothing  but  the  smallest 
fry  could  be  taken,  although  these  were  in  such  quanti- 
ties that  frequently  we  would  have  three  or  four  rises 
to  a  cast.  For  an  hour  or  more  we  fished  indefatiga- 
bly,  still  nothing  over  a  quarter  of  a  pound  rewarded 
our  labors,  and  when  we  landed  for  our  pic-nic  lunch 
I  determined  to  fish  the  stream  vdih  the  hope  of  ob- 
taining some  heavier  specimens.  My  friend,  who  felt 
indisposed,  either  from  the  effects  of  the  sun,  or  some 
State-of-3Iaiue  whisky  (which  is  warranted  to  kill  as 


228  GUN,    ROD,    AND    SADDLE. 

far  as  a  six-shooter),  and  Avhicli  he  had  been  imbib- 
ing, refused  to  accompany  me ;  so,  with  the  youth 
who  had  acted  as  Palinurus,  I  left  him  to  ruminate 
over  his  transgressions  or  misfortune. 

As  I  had  supposed,  large  fish  were  to  be  found  in 
tlie  stream,  and  my  basket  began  to  groan  under  its 
weight;  when  I  hooked  my  flies  in  the  top  of  a  larch 
that  leaned  over  the  water  close  in  my  rear.  With 
all  my  efforts  I  could  not  get  them  free,  so  sending  the 
lad  aloft,  I  waited  patiently  for  him  to  cast  them  off 
The  place  where  I  stood  was  hummocky,  such  lumps 
as  you  come  across  in  the  bogs  of  Ireland  when  snipe- 
shooting,  only  a  great  deal  larger.  With  care  and  pre- 
caution the  hummocks  could  be  traversed  without 
wetting  a  foot,  but  hurry  would  certainly  get  you 
between  them,  when  over  the  boot-tops  would  be  the 
consequence.  I  had  stood  for  several  minutes  for  the 
youngster  to  get  the  line  loose,  when  across  the 
stream,  but  a  short  distance  off,  I  heard  an  animal 
grunt ;  the  spot  from  whence  the  sound  issued  was  a 
large  clump  of  whortleberries,  where  some  fallen 
timber  lay.  Not  being  quite  certain  that  my  ears 
had  not  deceived  me,  I  waited,  when  the  noise  was 
repeated.  By  this  time  my  line  was  free,  and  my 
juvenile  companion  was  descending,   when  I  asked 


i 


KEXCOUXTER   WITH    A   BEAR.  229 

him  to   listen  to  the  noise,   for  I  felt  convinced  it 
emanated  from  no  other  than  a  bear  feeding,  enjoying 
his  favorite  bonne  houche^  the  blue-benies.     Young 
America  listened ;  Bruin  gave  another  grunt  of  evident 
satisfaction,   when  the  former — exclaiming  "bear!" 
slid  down  the  tree  with  such  agility  as  Avould  have 
put  in  shade  the  majority  of  moidieys.     As  soon  as 
he  reached  the  ground,  off  he  started  down  stream, 
but  the  funniest  part  of  all  was  that  my  guide,  in  the 
precipitancy  of  his  movements,    must  have  tripped 
over  the  hummocks  at  least  half-a-dozen  times  in  a 
dozen  strides.      When  Ave  had  got  thirty  or  forty 
yards  off, — for  I  followed,  though  scarcely  as  rapid- 
ly,— my  amour  pro2:)re  asserted  itself,  and  I  halted ; 
not  so    with   ray    companion ;    soon  he  disappeared 
through  the  labyrinth  of  shrubs,  and  I  remained  alone. 
To  my  relief  I  found  no  bear  was  in  pursuit,  so,  placing 
my  rod  against  a  stalwart  hemlock,   I  ascended   its 
branches  to  take  a  view  of  the  situation;  for  a  long  time 
I  could  not  discover  Bruin,  but  at  length  detected  a 
large  mass  of  black  fur,  accompanied  by  two  smaller 
ones,   buMly  employed  feeding.     They  had  quitted 
the  wet  ground  and  were  on  the  edge  of  an  acclivity, 
where  the  mother  was  most  industriously  drawing  the 
broken  fra<Tments  of  shattered  locrs  on  one  side,  while 


230  GUN,    KOD,    AND    SADDLE. 

lier  liopeful  progeny  feasted  upon  the  beetles  and  ants 
thus  exposed.  The  old  lady  had  neither  winded  nor 
heard  us,  and  slie  remained  sedulously  pursuing  her 
avocation,  perfectly  ignorant  that  her  industry  and 
strength  were  forming  a  subject  of  admiration  to 
a  son  of  Adam.  At  length  their  search  for  insects 
took  them  out  of  sight,  and  I  descended  to  join  my 
companions. 

The  day  by  this  was  far  spent,  and  neither  of  us 
Iniving  arms  suitable  for  an  assault  upon  the  happy 
family,  we  determined  to  seek  the  settlement  and 
revisit  the  scene  on  the  morrow.  Next  day,  at  an  iBarly 
hour,  with  quite  a  re-enforcement,  all  armed  with  most 
formidable  fire-arms,  from  the  Spencer  ritle  to  the  old 
smooth  bore,  and  accompanied  by  a  well-tried  bear 
doo-,  Ave  sallied  forth ;  for  miles  we  tracked  iMadam 
l]ruin  by  the  broken  fragments  of  decayed  timber 
and  the  numerous  logs  she  had  disturbed  from  their 
original  resting-place. 

Finally,  we  thought  she  could  not  be  far  distant, 
and  the  dog  was  untied;  oiF  he  went  like  a  tlumder- 
bolt,  and  in  a  quarter  of  an  hour  we  heard  iflm  baying 
vociferously.  Guns  were  looked  to,  the  men  most 
energetic  previously  now  dropped  behind,  doubtless 
to  examine  their  trusty  ritles  and  sec  that  the  pow- 


RENCOUin'EE   WITH    A   BEAE.  231 

der  was  up  in  the  nipples;  but  when  we  reached 
Watch,  what  was  our  disgust,  of  course,  to  find 
that  he  had  tree'd  a  covey  of  Canadian  partridge  ?  * 
"Unwillingly  we  went  to  work  and  decimated  this 
unhappy  and  unconscious  brood,  nor  could  all  our 
efforts  afterward  induce  the  unfailing  bear-dog  to 
take  up  the  desired  track  ;  intensely  disgusted  we  all 
returned,  and  bear-meat  and  bear-hunting  for  a  long 
time  were  subjects  that  few  of  tlie  would-be  hunters 
liked  to  hear  mentioned  by  the  residents  of  the  settle- 
ment, for  there  was  a  strong  suspicion  that  what  was 
said  on  these  subjects  was  said  in  chaff. 

*  Willow  Grouse. 


232  GUN,    EOD,    AND    SADDLE. 


IDEAS   OK  FLT-FISHII^G. 

To  those  who  have  gained  skill  from  constant  prac- 
tice in  the  gentle  art,  I  do  not  address  my  remarks ; 
still  they  can  read  if  they  will,  provided  they  will 
do  so  in  good  temper,  and  farnish  beginners  with 
such  minutiffi  as  have  been  forgotten,  or  have  not 
been  told.  I  fancy  I  hear  nnmbers  dissenting  from 
my  proviso,  for  it  was  only  through  long  months, 
ay,  years  of  toil — we  may  also  say  pleasure — they 
gained  the  information  on  fly-fishing  which  they 
now  possess,  and,  therefore,  why  impart  the  result 
of  their  study  to  Tom,  Dick,  and  Harry.  But  if 
our  forefathers  through  generations  had  held  back 
their  views  and  experiences,  for  such  selfish  reasons, 
do  you  suppose  the  machinist,  the  naturalist,  the 
navigator,  etc.,  etc.,  of  the  days  in  which  we  live, 
would  be  as  proficient  as  they  are  in  their  respec- 
tive trades  or  sciences  ?  For  all  Izaak  Walton  states, 
I  much  fear  the  followers  of  the  rod  and  line  pos- 
sess the  quality  of  selfishness.    As  one  of  its  votaries, 


IDEAS    ON    FLT-FISIIIXG.  233 

I  can  well  remember  keeping  buried  in  my  own  bosom, 
the  position  of  pools,  the  color  of  flies,  etc.,  where  I  was 
either  certain  of  taking  the  largest  fish,  or  by  the 
nsing  of  which,  I  could  almost  guarantee  myself  good 
sport.  But  I  trust  I  no  longer  possess  this  love  of  self, 
and  in  no  better  way  can  I  prove  it  than  by  endeavor- 
ing to  teach  the  young  idea,  not  how  to  shoot,  but  to 
fish ;  come  forward  ye,  also,  who  have  experience, 
and  help  me  in  iny  task. 

But  to  commence,  we  will  first  allude  to  the  imple- 
ments. The  fly  rod,  like  the  gun,  can  not  be  too 
light,  as  long  as  it  possesses  the  requisite  strength. 
This  is  even  a  greater  desideratum  in  the  former  than 
in  the  latter,  for  there  is  no  convenient  resting-position 
in  which  you  can  carry  it  incessantly ;  while  on  the 
river  it  is  at  work,  not  even  the  respite  for  loading 
being  necessary,  and  if  a  heavy  gun  after  a  hard  day's 
work  will  make  you  undershoot  your  game,  a  heavy 
rod  will  make  you  a  slus-srard  at  evenino-  instrikinsi 
your  fish,  and  the  result  will  be  about  similar  in  both 
instances.  For  the  trout  fisherman,  he,  I  mean,  who 
fly-fishes  burns  and  rivers,  from  twehe  to  thirteen 
feet  is  quite  sufiicient  length  for  his  rod  to  be  (lake 
fishermen  frequently  use  longer,  but  what  they  gain  in 
reach  they  lose  in  quickness,  a  loss,  in  my  estimation, 


234  GUN,    EOD,    AND    SADDLE. 

of  most  serious  importance),  and  siicli  an  implement 
should  not  exceed  in  weight  eight  or  nine  ounces. 
I  can  imagine  I  see  many  cast  up  their  eyes  and  ex- 
claim, that  such  is  impossible  to  procure,  but  let  me 
say  they  are  mistaken.  I  have  owned  several  of  that 
weight,  and  with  them,  days  in  succession,  taken 
baskets  of  fish,  of  not  only  all  the  ordinary  sizes, 
but  on  one  occasion  I  killed  a  trout  nine  pounds 
in  weight.  As  I  can  not  help  regarding  this  as  a 
performance  to  be  proud  of,  I  will  relate  how  it  took 
place.  A  couple  of  companions  and  myself  were  en- 
camped on  the  margin  of  Mad  River  in  Oxford  Coun- 
ty, State  of  Maine.  Our  guns  had  fiiiled  to  provide 
dinner,  so  taking  a  hazel  wand  I  essayed  to  capture 
sufKcient  cliub  to  make  a  chowder,  a  description  of 
omnium  gatherum  stew.  In  taking  a  small  fish,  as 
I  was  about  lifting  him  into  the  canoe  a  large  trout 
rushed  from  underneath  the  birch-bark,  seizeel  the 
chub,  and  although  I  gave  him  both  line  and  time  to 
])Ouch  what  had  not  been  intended  for  a  bait,  on 
taking  a  pull  ui)on  him  the  chub  came  away,  and  I  was 
free  from  the  larger  antagonist.  Having  taken  suf- 
ficient small  fry  I  went  home,  bi'ooding  over  my  mis- 
fortune, but  keeping  the  adventure  closely  locked  in 
my  own  bosom  (selfishness  again).     About  the  hour 


IDEAS    ON    FLY-FTSniXG.  235 

that  the  sun  began  to  clip  behind  the  giant  pines,  I 
had  made  up  my  mind  to  the  course  I  would  pursue, 
which  was  to  take  my  pet  rod,  mount  a  cast  of  two 
flies,  and  carefully  whip  tlie  hole  from  end  to  end. 
As  if  it  were  but  yesterday,  I  remember  distinctly 
the  flies.  The  trail  one  w^as  ginger-colored  cock's 
hackle,  with  light  corn  crake  wnng,  tipped  with  silver; 
the  dropper  a  large- sized  moth. 

"  For  work  at  that  hour,*'  I  hear  some  internally 
mutter,  "  the  moth  did  the  business."  Xo,  it  did  not ; 
cock's  hackles  of  all  shades  may  invariably  be  backed 
against  the  field,  and  the  cock's  hackle  on  this  occa- 
sion kept  up  its  reputation.  Down  on  my  knees  in 
the  bow  of  the  canoe,  the  camp-keeper  holding  her 
back  by  a  pole  in  the  stern,  slowly  and  cautiously  I 
fished  the  throat,  from  thence  down  into  the  less  an- 
gry but  wider-spread  current,  when  just  as  my  flies 
passed  over  an  eddy  that  divided  the  downward  flow 
from  the  back  water,  there  was  a  splash  rapidly  re- 
sponded to  by  a  nervous  quick  movement  of  the 
wrist,  which  phmted  the  hook  firmly  home.  I  doubt 
if  I  exaggerate,  in  fact  I  think  I  scarcely  state 
enough,  when  I  say  that  thirty  minutes  elapsed  be- 
fore my  trophy  could  sufficiently  endure  the  sight 
of  a  landing-net  to  have  it  placed  under  him.     Thus 


236  GUN,    ROD,    AND    SADDLE. 

was  taken  the  largest  river  {salmo  fario)  trout 
I  ever  caught.  But  to  :^iy  rod ;  it  was  made  out  of 
cedar  from  butt  to  tip,  did  not  exceed  nine  ounces, 
and  was  the  most  lively,  quick,  light  casting  treasure 
I  ever  used.  Cedar  fly-rods  I  havelieard  objected  to, 
because  they  are  brittle;  doubtless  you  may  find 
them  so,  and  your  casting-line  also,  if  you  change  its 
use  into  that  of  a  carriage  whip.  However  much 
I  admire  a  cedar  rod  I  do  not  think  it  suited  for  a 
tyro,  but  when  the  beginner  has  gained  experience, 
and  is  able  to  ofl*er  an  oi)inion  and  'use  a  fly  rod  as  it 
should  be  used,  I  doubt  not  he  Avill  perfectly  agree 
with  me.  A  cedar  rod  can  seldom  be  purchased  ready 
made,  as  tradesmen  dislike  the  job ;  so  if  any  read- 
ers of  "  Gun,  Rod,  and  Saddle  "  should  wish  to  possess 
one,  he  liad  better  go  to  the  very  best  workman  he 
knows  of,  and  give  him  the  order. 

Next  to  the  cedar  rod,  but  one  that  will  stand  any 
amount  of  fair  work,  is  the  split  bamboo ;  this,  I 
think,  can  be  procured  oven  lighter  tlian  the  former. 
There  is  a  firm,  the  Messrs.  CLark,  of  Maiden  Lane, 
New  York,  who  make  this  a  speciallte.  I  never  had 
the  fortune  to  use  one,  but  have  handled  them  often 
and  listened  to  the  raptures  of  experts  on  their  merits ; 
on  their  good  qualities  I  believe  I  can  say  nothing 


IDEAS    ON    FLT-FISIIIKG.  237 

that  they  do  not  deserve,  but  their  price  is  necessa- 
rily ]ugh,  from  the  care  with  which  the  cane  lias  to 
be  selected  and  put  together. 

When  I  was  a  boy,  I  believed  Flint  and  Martin 
Kelly,  both  of  Dublin,  before  all  other  makers.  I  have 
used  their  rods  over  a  great  portion  of  England, 
Scotland,  and  Ireland,  and  did  not,  until  I  used  the 
cedar  rod,  believe  that  any  rod  ever  was  made  that 
could  compete  with  theirs,  but  so  it  is,  and  so  it  will 
continue  to  be.  Old  bluff-bowed  lumbering  packet- 
ships  sufficed  our  fathers  to  go  to  India  ;  now  we  have 
the  P.  and  O.  service,  with  rail  across  the  Isthmus, 
and  it  is  far  from  probable  that  this  means  of  transit 
will  always  suit  our  children.  If  Joe  Manton  was 
to  arise  among  us,  I  doubt  much  if  he  could  hold  his 
own  among  modern  gunmakers. 

Some  i)ersons,  particularly  Irish  fishermen,  are  at- 
tached to  double-action  rods ;  that  is,  rods  which 
have  so  much  elasticity  in  them,  that  they  display 
two  movements,  one  up  and  the  other  down,  when 
suddenly  used.  I  do  not  like  them,  for  more  than 
one  reason  ;  the  movement  of  the  wrist  in  striking  the 
fish,  while  raising  the  butt,  throws  the  tip  down,  thus 
giving  quite  a  contrary  motion  to  what  is  intended. 
Again,  if  you  have  to  fish  against  the  wind,  they 


23S  GUX,    EOD,    AXD    SADDLE. 

Avill  not  only  be  found  most  difficult  to  manage,  but 
excessively  fati^'uing.  There  is  a  rod  made  in  Castle 
Council  (principally  for  salmon),  after  the  above  pat- 
tern ;  it  has  many  admirers,  who  doubtless  through 
expei-icnce  have  become  proficient  in  its  use;  still  I 
can  speak  only  from  what  I  know,  and  my  verdict 
is,  leave  them  to  their  present  advocates. 

A  combination-rod  has  always  been  my  horror.  I 
nu^an  such  as  fishing-tackle  shop  pi'oprietors  guaran- 
tee to  be  both  a  perfect  lly  and  bait  rod  oidy  by  al- 
tering the  tip.  If  [)ersons  will  but  use  their  brains 
they  can  in  a  moment  see  that  such  is  impossible. 
The  two  uses  are  essentially  different,  requiring  the 
spring  and  elasticity  in  totally  different  parts.  The 
act  of  placing  a  dull,  luml)ering  tip  on  the  fii'st  three 
joints  of  a  delicate,  pliant  trout  rod  is  really  desecra- 
tion. However,  some  may  say,  you  will  find  a  medium 
betAveen  the  two  more  generally  useful.  ISly  answer 
is,  what  is  worth  doing  is  worth  doing  well ;  and  if 
your  intent  is  fly-fishing,  the  most  perfect  rod  fi)r  that 
])U]-pose  should  be  selected.  If  the  I'iver  is  so  discolor- 
ed or  swollen  that  bait  has  to  be  resorted  to,  or  you 
must  go  supperless  to  bed,  for  goodness'  sake  go  and 
cut  a  hazel  Avand,  unless  you  carry  a  bait  rod  — an  arti- 
cle Jor  ca])lurjng  trout  that  no  true  fishcj-nian  ought  to 


IDEAS    ON    FLT-FISIIl.VG.  239 

be  jjroiid  of.  In  fact,  I  am  not  certain  that  its  pos- 
session should  not  entitle  the  owner  to  be  arrested,  in 
the  same  way  as  a  pocketful  of  snares  for  game  Avould 
a  known  poacher.  Hj^brids,  whether  in  rod  or  gun, 
are  to  be  carefully  avoided.  I  remember  being  once 
entrapped  into  using  a  hybrid  gun,  in  the  town- 
sliip  of  Markliam,  Upper  Canada.  Going  through 
some  brush  I  flushed  a  quantity  of  woodcock.  I  sta- 
ted the  circumstance  when  I  returned  to  the  farm- 
house where  I  was  residing.  As  I  had  no  gun  with  me 
the  host  offered  me  the  use  of  his,  which  from  his  de- 
scription was  worthy  of  a  royal  duke  arid  therefore  I 
accepted  the  oifer.  On  production  it  proved  to  be  half 
shot-gun,  half  rifle — that  is,  the  right-hand  barrel  was 
smooth,  the  left  rifled.  This  was  my  first  experience  of 
sucli  a  weapon,  and  most  probably  my  last.  The  game 
was  found,  the  cover  was  close,  and  snap  shooting  ne- 
cessary. It  was  of  no  use.  The  gun  would  not  come 
up,  or  the  game  come  down.  The  fact  was,  that  the  shot 
barrel  was  only  half  the  weight  of  the  rifled,  conse- 
quently the  whole  fabric  was  Avithout  balance,  and  do 
what  I  would  my  aim  was  invariably  disconcerted. 

Of  the  joints  used  in  fly-rods  the  plain  sliding  one 
is  probably  the  most  convenient.  If  properly  fitted 
it  shoultl  never  jam  or  work  loose;  but  if  I  lived  on 


2-iO  GUN)    ROD)    AND    SADDLE. 

a  river  I  should  never  make  use  of  any  other  than 
the  simple  sijlice,  for  the  lashing  affects  less  the  ac- 
tion of  the  spring;  and  if  a  few  additional  moments 
are  lost  in  putting  it  together,  the  return  is  ample 
recompense.  But  I  fear  the  age  is  too  fast  for  its 
adoption. 

Having  given  my  thoughts  upon  the  rod  I  will  now 
go  to  the  i-eel.  Of  late  years,  at  least  since  I  was  a 
boy,  all  kinds  of  mechanical  inventions  and  appliances 
have  been  used  to  produce  a  more  perfect  reel :  there 
are  now  to  be  obtained  stop  reels,  multiplying  reels, 
and  reels  with  as  many  internal  cog  and  other  wheels 
as  would  start  a  clockmaker.  Of  these  complicated 
ai)paratuses  beware,  for  they  are  fraught  with  disap- 
pointment and  vexation  of  spirit ;  the  old  simple 
click  reel  is  the  only  one  that  deserves  the  honor 
of  being  attached  to  a  fly-rod.  Still,  too  much 
care  and  attention  can  not  be  devoted  to  their 
construction.  Every  screw  and  joint  should  be  as 
perfectly  tinislied  as  those  of  a  gun  from  a  first- 
class  manufacturer.  The  barrel  of  the  reel  should 
be  wide  in  proportion  to  its  length,  for  you  thus 
gain  power  or  give  line  with  greater  freedom; 
nothing  is  Tuore  unsiglitly  or  more  awkward  than  a 
lont>-  narrow-barreled  reel.     Brass  is  the  metal  usual- 


IDEAS    ON    FLY-FISHmG.  241 

ly  employed  for  tlieir  construction,  but  the  newly- 
invented  aluminium  bronze  is  infinitely  to  be  pre- 
ferred, for  it  does  not  corrode  or  discolor  with  the 
action  of  the  atmosphere,  and  it  is  less  liable 
to  suffer  from  a  blow  or  a  fall ;  mischances  that 
the  fly-fisher's  paraphernalia,  more  particularly  in  a 
rocky  mountainous  country,  are  especially  liable  to 
when  following  the  course  of  a  trout  brook,  for  stones 
will  be  slippery  and  of  treacherous  foundation.  Who 
among  our  expert  salmon  or  trout  fishermen  can  not 
remember  having  obtained  a  frightful  cropper  when 
precipitously  following  up  or  down  stream  a  heavy 
fish  he  was  flist  to  ?  I  do  not  require  to  tax  my  mem- 
ory greatly  to  recall  half-a-dozen  such  casualties. 

There  are  various  methods  of  attaching  the  reel  to 
the  rod.  Of  none  do  I  approve  so  highly  as  that  by 
which  the  reel  is  held  fast  in  a  shallow  indentation 
by  a  movable  band.  In  those  cases  where  the  butt 
is  pierced,  or  the  reel  held  on  the  rod  by  a  brass 
band  attached  to  it,  which  closes  with  a'  screw,  the 
nuts  are  constantly  getting  lost  or  loose,  through 
the  thread  being  worn  out ;  moreover,  the  hand  not 
unfrequently  gets  chafed  by  coming  in  contact  with 
them. 

On  the  subject  of  fly-lines  there  is  great  diversity 
11 


24:2  GUN,    ROD,    AND    SADDLE. 

of  opinion.  Of  wliatcvcr  materials  they  are  com- 
posed they  should  taper.  Hair  and  silk  I  was  at  one 
time  much  in  favor  of;  but,  after  a  lengthened  trial, 
1  found  one  great  objection — the  two  materials  had 
not  the  same  amount  of  elasticity,  so  that  a  heavy 
strain  would  bear  more  severely  on  one  than  on  the 
other,  which  ultimately  caused  brittleness.  A 
plaited-silk  line,  which  has  been  submitted  to  a  pro- 
cess of  varnishing,  rendering  it  impervious  to  water, 
will,  I  think,  do  the  greatest  amount  of  work  and 
throw  the  greatest  length  of  line;  but  for  deli- 
cate, light,  line  iishing,  nothing  T  know  of  can  surpass 
the  old-fashioned  one,  composed  entirely  of  horse- 
hair; for  they  are  possessed  of  more  vitality,  elastici- 
ty, and  quickness.  In  the  selection  of  one  of  these 
every  foot  should  be  carefully  examined  and  tested,  for 
a  careless,  slop-shop  workman  will  frequently  work 
in  short  and  worthless  hair,  possibly  in  the  center, 
which  will  destroy  the  whole  fjibric  ;  for  if  the  line  be 
once  broken  it  is  useless.  It  matters  not  how  much  in- 
genuity and  tiiue  you  spend  over  the  splice.  For  a 
day  or  two  it  may  pass  through  the  rings,  but  the  fric- 
tion will  wear  it  rough,  and  it  will  catch,  sooner  or 
later,  not  improbably  with  a  large  lish,  for  then  the 
strain  is  greatest.     Can  any  thing   more   disgusliiig 


IDEAS    ON   FLY-FISHING.  213 

be  imagined  than  taking  the  last  look  at  eight  or 
ten  yards  of  your  line,  perhaps  more,  rapidly  dis- 
appearing in  the  eddying  stream  Avith  your  cast- 
ing line  and  flies  acting  as  advance  guard?  The 
thought  of  such  a  catastrophe  is  enough  to  make  a 
man's  blood  run  cold. 

Casting  lines  should  also  taper,  and,  provided  the 
gut  is  good,  can  scarcely  have  too  fine  a  termina- 
tion. Although  a  great  many  disciples  of  the  rod 
always  purchase  these  ready-made,  every  fislierman 
should  be  able  to  knot  one  r,p  himself.  The  process 
is  simple.  Select  your  hairs — coarse  ones  for  the 
top,  fine  ones  for  the  bottom — steep  iliem  for  some 
minutes  in  water,  as  warm  as  tlie  hand  can  conven- 
iently bear,  then  knot  them  together,  increasing  or 
diminishing  gradually  in  size  accordhig  to  the  end 
you  liave  commenced  at.  Care  must  be  taken 
that  such  a  knot  be  used  as  there  is  no  slip  to. 
The  safest  I  know  of  is  formed  thus:  take  the  ends 
to  be  joined  and  phice  tliem  alongside  one  another, 
tlien  take  one  end  and  make  a  single  hitch  hj  doub- 
ling it  back  and  passing  the  end  through  the  loop, 
which  pull  tight.  Do  the  same  with  the  reverse  end, 
wlien  by  pulling  on  the  line  both  will  slip  together, 
the  strain  iiaving  the  tendency  to  tighten  the  knot. 


244 

After  cutting  off  the  surplus  ends  a  few  turns  of 
Yery  fine  silk  to  whip  them  clown  and  the  smallest 
quantity  of  varnish,  will  add  much  to  the  ai)pearance 
of  the  line.  There  is  no  amusement  that  I  know 
of  in  which  it  is  so  requisite  for  the  follower  of  it  to 
knowhowtomakeuseof  his  hands  and  his  ingenuity. 
Bad  luck,  or  whatever  you  choose  to  call  it,  may,  be- 
fore an  hour's  fishing  be  done,  reduce  you  to  the  alter- 
native of  either  ceasing  work  or  manufacturing  out  of 
broken  fragments  a  new  casting  line.  Very  possi- 
bly this  is  caused  by  the  fish  being  more  than  usual- 
ly on  the  feed.  How  disagreeable  to  be  compelled 
to  halt ! — better  far  to  spend  ten  minutes  with  the 
dry  end  of  gut  in  your  mouth,  the  more  rapidly  to 
render  the  hairs  fit  for  knotting,  and  to  know  how 
to  put  them  together  afterward. 

The  rings  npon  your  rod  should  be  large  and  not 
too  numerous,  five  are  sufiicient  for  the  loAver  joints, 
and  about  five  more  for  the  tip,  supposing  it  to  be 
a  rod  thirteen  feet  in  length,  and  in  three  pieces.  In 
America  I  lately  saw  rods  ringed  on  both  sides,  so 
that  if  after  unusual  hard  work  and  constant  use  a 
tendency  to  warp  was  evinced,  you  altered  your  reel 
to  the  reverse  side  and  thus  counteracted  it.  ITow- 
ever,  the  better  plan,  I  sliould  say,  would  be  to  use 


IDEAS    ON    FLY-FISPIIN^a.  245 

the  reverse  sides  day  about.  The  only  objection  to 
this  double  arrangement  of  rings  is  additional  weight, 
but  that  must  be  very  trifling. 

Having  now  described  the  rod,  the  reel,  the  line, 
and  the  cast,  I  approach  a  subject  that  I  liesitate  to 
touch,  viz.,  fly-tying,  for  I  do  not  believe  that  any 
one  can  become  an  expert,  but  through  constant 
practice,  after  having  received  a  few  elementary  les- 
sons from  an  adept.  I  believe  I  can  tie  a  lair  fly ; 
but  how  long  do  you  suppose  it  was  before  I  readied 
my  present  excellence?  Years;  and  even  now^  I 
discover  wrinkles  and  new  methods  of  which  I  was 
not  previously  aware;  however,  one  rule  may  be 
laid  down :  never  to  take  a  turn  of  the  silk  round 
your  hook  w^ithout  purpose,  or  without  giving  it 
sufiicient  strength  to  keep  it  in  its  place  and  perform 
the  duty  intended.  The  most  important  part  is  the 
simplest  and  first,  the  securing  of  the  gut  to  the 
shank  of  the  hook.  Unless  this  is  attended  to  all 
your  labor  is  vain  and  wortldess — so  much  time 
thrown  away  and  wasted.  Here  comes  all  the  strain, 
and  a  thoughtless  turn  or  two  will  cause  naught  but 
disappointment.  Some  anglers,  particularly  Irish 
ones,  place  the  wangs  on  so  that  the  feather  points 
from  tlie  hook,  then  double  them  back  and  tie  them 


24:6  GUN,    ROD,    AXD    SADDLE. 

down.  In  this  metliod  mucli  practice  is  necossary  to 
form  a  liandsoine  licad;  but  its  advocates  claim  for  it 
strength.  However,  I  have  so  frequently  found  the 
silk  shp,  and  the  feathers  consequently  point  in  the 
rc\erse  direction,  tliat  I  nnhesitatingly  condemn  the 
j^ractice.  To  make  a  handsome  and  serviceable  liy,  I 
have  always  followed  the  method  of  putting  the 
wings  on  separately,  care  being  taken  not  to  injure  the 
pile  of  the  feathers ;  and  this  should  be  done  last, 
the  most  minute  drop  of  varnish  being  used  over 
the  silk  when  the  head  is  finished  off.  My  first  effort 
to  tie  a  fly  turned  out  a  thing  like  a  hummingd^ird, 
my  second  like  a  humble-bee,  and  so  on  till  I  have 
succeeded  in  making  a  good  imitation  of  a  gnat. 
Patience  and  perseverance  have  done  this,  and  none 
will  ever  excel  in  fly-tying  without  exercising  these 
qualities,  so  essentially  useful  in  every  walk  in  life. 
As  a  rule,  the  bigger  the  river,  the  more  water  it 
contains;  and  the  more  boisterous  the  weathei",  the 
larger  the  flies  that  are  used;  but  in  summer,  when 
the  streams  and  burns  have  become  clear  and  low,  the 
smallest  sizes  must  be  resorted  to,  tlirown  with  tlie 
lightest  line,  from  the  most  unobservable  and  most 
sheltei'ed  position. 

Three  flies,  their  coloring   and   component  parts, 


i 


IDEAS    OX   FLT-FISniNG.  217 

that  I  have  found  successful  on  almost  all  waters  and 
at  every  portion  of  the  open  season,  I  will  describe ; 
in  fact,  I  have  so  much  faith  in  them  that  I  invari- 
ably use  all  three  in  making  ray  first  essay  on  an  un- 
known river,  viz.,  the  red  hackle,  hare's  ear  and  yel- 
low, and  black  hackle.  In  America,  on  the  small 
trout-brooks,  I  found  them  equally  attractive,  evi- 
dence of  a  similarity  of  taste  in  fish  on  the  Eastern 
and  Western  continents.  Fly  No.  1,  the  red  hackle, 
body  composed  of  rufns  wool,  twisted  in  with  tying 
silk,  lower  portions  of  body  to  be  fine,  gradually  in- 
creasing in  thickness  till  the  shoulder  is  reached. 
Shoulder  of  bright-red  cock's  hackle,  the  color  that 
is  obtained  in  a  natural  state  from  the  domestic 
fowl,  game  fowls  generally  producing  the  finest ; 
but  if  those  from  the  East  Indian  jungle-cock  can  be 
obtained,  you  will  possess  the  very  best.  Wings 
put  on  separately,  and  obtained  from  the  wings  of  the 
corn  crake,  shot  immediately  previous  to  their  au- 
tumnal migration.  Fly  Xo.  2,  hare's  ear  and  yellow  ; 
this  has  a  tail  composed  of  two  strands  from  the 
larger  feathers  of  tlie  guinea  fowl,  body  composed  of 
the  fine  mottled  hair  ofi!*  the  ears  of  a  hare,  mixed 
with  fine  mohair,  of  any  of  the  intermediate  shades 
from  straw  color  to. olive.     The  mohair  should  be  cut 


248  GUN,    ROD,    AND    SADDLE. 

short,  so  that  it  Avill  the  bettor  mix  with  the  hare's 
ear.  This  clubbing  must  also  be  tied  in  Avith  tlie  silk, 
and  the  fly  should  be  large  at  the  shoulder.  Xo 
hackle  in  this  specimen  is  required.  The  wings  from 
the  large  wing-feathers  of  the  fieldfare,  each  placed 
on  separately.  Fly  No.  3,  black  hackle ;  body  of  blue 
wool  or  mohair,  finished  at  termination  with  a  couple 
of  turns  of  silver  tinsel,  black  hackle  from  domestic 
fowl  for  shoulder,  with  the  wing  composed  of  the 
feather  either  from  tail  or  wing  of  the  Avater-hen. 
The  angler  had  better  be  provided  Avith  various  sizes 
of  these,  as  rivers  are  not  ahvays  in  the  same  condi- 
tion, and  weather  is  variable.  For  me  to  say  that 
other  flies  will  not  kill  better  on  some  rivers,  or  at 
least  equally  Avell,  would  be  absurd,  but  those  de- 
scribed I  have  found  most  generally  useful.  A  hand- 
some and  frequently  A^ery  killing  fly  at  times,  partic- 
ularly in  blustering  AA^eather,  is  made  of  the  following 
material.  Body  of  tAvo  of  the  longest  and  most  rufus 
strands  of  a  feather  from  a  broAvn  turkey;  these 
strands  to  have  the  fingers  pulled  up  them,  so  as  to 
cause  the  fine  edges  to  stand  out ;  then  Avrapped  firm- 
ly on.  Shoulder  of  broAvn  cock's  hackle,  Avith  brown 
grouse  feather  for  Aving.  In  autumn,  particularly  if 
the  stream  should  be  clearing  after  a  flood,  I  have 


I 


IDEAS   OX   FLY-FISIIIXG.  .         249 

known  this  fly  to  be  most  eifective.  However,  it  is 
no  bad  plan  if  you  are  a  stranger  in  a  neigliborliood, 
to  get  bold  of  a  poor  honest  disciple  of  Izaak  ^Yalton, 
who  will  give  you  information,  and  very  probably  sell 
you  some  of  the  contents  of  his  book.  However,  be- 
ware that  he  does  not  palm  off  upon  you  the  dehris 
of  his  collection.  Except  for  sea-trout  fishhig,  the  bril- 
liant and  many-colored  macaw-like  compositions  are 
totally  useless  in  our  inland  streams,  so  let  not  love  of 
gaudy  coloring  or  the  advice  of  inexperienced  persons 
induce  you  to  spend  your  time  and  money  on  such 
fabrications. 

We  will  suppose  the  novice  accoutered  with  all 
that  money  and  judgment  can  obtain  in  the  shape  of 
tackle  and  rod,  at  the  same  time  hoping  that  his  gar- 
ments are  composed  of  those  sober  quiet  colors  that 
are  least  observable ;  for  whether  in  shooting,  deer- 
stalking, or  fishing,  attention  to  this  is  all  important ; 
that  he  wears  naught  that  is  not  useful,  and  not  like 
the  Laocoon,  as  I  once  observed  a  young  gentleman, 
6o  covered  was  he  with  straps  and  bright-colored 
strings  suspending  lunch-box,  and  flasks,  and  innumer- 
able otlier  contrivances,  the  very  weight  of  which 
must  have  impeded  his  movements  and  fagged  him 

to   death   long  ere  the  day  was  over.     He  is  on  the 
11* 


250  GtTN,    ROD,    AND   SADDLE. 

river's  margin,  at  a  sjjot  free  from  bush,  rock,  or 
otlier  impediment.  The  rod  is  carefully  put  togeth- 
er (I  hope  it  is  a  spliced  one,  for  I  shall  have  more 
hope  for  the  beginner's  ultimate  success  from  this 
choice),  the  reel  is  attached,  tlie  line  drawn  through 
the  rings,  and  tlie  cast  and  Hies  carefully  taken  oif 
his  hat,  round  which  they  have  been  wrapped  (to 
make  them  more  subservient  and  less  obstreperous 
on  commencing  work),  and  made  fast  to  the  line. 
Ere  an  attempt  at  the  first  cast  is  made,  take  one 
word  of  advice.  Englishmen  are  so  horsey  in  their 
proclivities  that  they  invariably  consider  a  rod,  when 
first  they  handle  it,  an  instrument  to  be  treated  and 
used  in  exactly  the  same  manner  as  a  carriage  whip. 
From  boyhood  upward  they  have  been  used  to  the 
latter,  and  the  Englishman's  hand  has  obtained  won- 
derful cunning  in  cracking  the  same.  Now  the  two 
motions  are  essentially  difierent ;  the  one  is  perform- 
ed by  the  quickest  possible  jerk,  the  other  by  making 
the  widest  possible  sweep,  as  free  from  angles  as  the 
turns  on  a  race-course.  Get  this  information  so 
grafted  into  your  brain  that  you  will  not  be  likely  to 
forget  yourself,  for  on  each  occasion  of  this  forgetful- 
ness  you  will  pay  a  penalty  by  being  minus  a  fly,  pro- 
bably the  trail  one.     I  have  known  some  persons  so 


IDEAS    OX    FLY  FISHING-.  251 

skilled  in  snapping  off  flies,  even  although  possessed 
of  considerable  experience,  that  their  custom  must 
have  been  of  no  small  advantage  to  the  tradesman 
who  supplied  them  with  tackle. 

Supposing  the  augler  is  facing  a  river  whicli  he  is 
desirous  of  throwing  across.  The  rod  being  held  in 
the  right  hand,  gradually,  but  with  increasing  veloci- 
ty, raise  your  rod  from  left  to  right ;  when  the  line 
is  straight  out  from  you,  make  a  sweep,  and  bring  the 
flies  down  upon  the  water  with  a  half-circular  motion 
of  the  hand.  This  last  movement  will  raise  the  slack 
of  the  line  and  cause  the  trail  fly  to  strike  the  water 
first,  which  should  always  happen.  ^Yhen  this  first 
lesson  is  thoroughly  learned  with  the  left  hand,  it 
should  then  be  practiced  up  and  down  stream :  when, 
with  perseverance  and  attention,  such  precision  may 
be  gained  that  the  fisherman  can  place  the  flies  at 
every  effort  within  an  inch  or  two  of  the  desired 
spot. 


252  GUN,    EOD,    AND   SADDLE. 


STEOIfG   SHOOTIlN"G. 

Do  guns  of  this  day  shoot  better  than  those  manu- 
factured ten  years  ago  ?  The  reason  why  I  propound 
such  a  question  is,  that  I  hear  and  read  of  birds  being 
killed  steadily  at  seventy  and  eighty  yards,  of  trap- 
shooting  being  practiced  with  a  fifty  yards'  rise,  and 
the  performers  scoring  four  out  of  five.  I  never  lived 
in  a  neighborhood  where  it  was  not  reported  that 
there  was  a  vronderful  shooting  gun,  but  I  never  have 
had  the  fortune  to  see  any  of  them  perform  their 
unprecedented  feats;  either  the  shooter's  nerves  were 
out  of  order  or  the  powder  was  bad.  How  unfortu- 
nate it  is  that  powder  will  so  often  be  bad,  more 
especially  when  it  is  desirable  that  it  should  be  ex- 
cellent. When  I  hear  sportsmen,  particularly  the 
young  gentlemen,  narrate  the  performances  of  their 
double  barrels,  I  can  not  help  commiserating  myself 
that  I  have  never  been  able  to  obtain  better  than  a 
third-rate  article  for  my  use,  for  I  have  heretofore 
thought  the  gun  which  killed  reliably  at  forty  and 


STRONG    SHOOTING.  253 

Avitli  considerable  certainty  at  fifty  yards  was  as  near 
perfection  as  obtainable.  I  do  not  mean  to  say  that 
occasionally  a  snipe,  or  even  a  duck,  has  not  been  turn- 
ed over  at  seventy  yards,  still  at  such  ranges  I  have 
always  tliought  the  odds  veiy  much  in  favor  of  the 
birds.  As  none  of  my  old  battery  can  accomplish 
more  than  above  stated,  before  I  go  abroad  again  it 
would  be  desirable  to  obtain  a  modern  gun,  yet  I 
should  not  like  to  adopt  a  new  favorite,  which  would 
shelve  an  old,  without  first  seeing  him  perform,  but  if 
tlie  novice  will  kill  steadily  at  seventy  with  ordinary 
gunpowder,  such  as  Curtis  and  Harvey's,  I  shall  not 
have  a  moment's  hesitation  on  the  subject ;  therefore 
I  ask,  do  modern  guns  shoot  much  better — say  thirty 
per  cent,  better — than  those  turned  out  ten  years 
ao-o? 


25i 


IDEAS  O^r  DOG  BEEAKIXG- 

How  many  that  would  have  turned  out  good  men 
and  useful  members  of  the  community,  have  been  ru- 
ined in  tlieir  youth  through  not  being  understood, 
and  possibly  treated  with  undue  severity?  How 
many  promising  colts,  perfect  in  general  appearance, 
have  turned  out  runaways,  apt  to  shy,  and  possessed 
of  cA'ery  failing  that  it  was  possible  for  horseflesh  to 
learn,  therefore  irrecoverably  ruined,  tlirougli  the  bul- 
lying and  barbarity  of  the  trainer?  As  men  are 
ruined,  as  colts  are  ruined,  so  are  a  preponderating 
percentage  of  our  pointers  and  setters.  My  old  Dom- 
inie used  habitu  ally  to  go  about  witli  the  end  of  liis 
strap  hanging  out  of  his  pocket ;  no  ordinary  strap, 
but  Avhat  the  reader  might  imagine  a  coujile  of  feet 
cut  ott'  an  omnibus  trace,  terrible  only  to  behold  by 
such  as  were  fond  of  toftey,  or  encased  in  tight-fitting 
jackets.  And  then  the  possessor  of  this  strap  was  no 
puny  bookworm — no,  not  he — but  a  stalwart  Celt 
with  a  biceps  so  tremendous  that  his  wife,  proud  of 


IDEAS    OK    DOG-BREAKIXG.  I'OO 

Lis  manly  development,  nsed  freqnently  to  ask  her 
friends,  her  female  ones  of  course,  when  discussing  the 
relative  merits  of  husbands,  "  Have  you  ever  seen  Wil- 
liam's muscle  ?  "  I  don't  know  that  I  ever  saw  it ;  I 
am  certain  that  I  often  felt  it,  and  believe  now  that 
I  would  have  been  much  better  informed,  and  at  that 
j^eriod  more  devoted  to  my  books,  but  for  the  whack- 
ing>i  that  no  excuse,  whether  just  or  not,  could  save 
me  from.  So  it  is  with  the  majority  of  dog-breakers, 
they  invest  their  surphis  cash  in  the  purchase  of  the 
most  formidable  whip  tliat  can  be  found,  and  with  it 
conspicuously  displayed  from  the  yawning  pocket  of 
their  velveteen  coat  strut  about  in  conscious  pride, 
and  are  at  once  dubbed  dog-breakers  ;  and  truly  they 
are  dog  breakers,  if  breaking  the  heart  and  spirit  of 
poor  canines  deserves  the  appellation. 

The  dog  I  have  found  mucli  like  the  child ;  study 
his  character,  mark  his  eccentricities;  when  he  does 
wrong  gently  admonish  him,  when  he  does  well,  with- 
hoLl  not  the  approbation  merited.  Of  course  in 
both  races  a  headstrong  piipil  will  occasionally  be 
found,  when  castigation  becomes  necessary.  With 
this  I  can  find  no  flxult,  but  I  am  persuaded  that  un- 
necessary correction  is  too  often  administered  to  both. 
In  the  course  of  my  life  I  have  possessed  a  great  num- 


256 

ber  of  pointers  and  setters,  the  majority  of  which 
I  have  broken,  and  not  giving  myself  undeserved 
praise,  I  have  had  among  the  number  dogs  whicli  1 
have  seldom  seen  equaled,  never  surpassed,  and  why  ? 
Simply  because  I  through  kindness  got  my  pupils  to 
love  me,  to  repose  confidence  in  me,  and  never  caused 
them  to  suppose  that  their  love  was  misplaced  and 
their  confidence  trespassed  upon.  Xo,  no,  neither  is 
the  strap  the  necessary  adjunct  of  the  schoolmaster, 
nor  the  dog-whip  that  of  the  instructor  of  the  de- 
voted, unselfish,  enduring,  and  persevering  compan- 
ion of  man.  The  dog,  like  the  child,  is  possessed  of 
affection,  which  can  easily  be  won  if  the  proper  means 
are  used,  and  affection  alone  will  induce  both  child 
and  dog  to  do  all  in  their  power  to  serve  the  object 
of  their  adoration. 

Probably  the  most  important  point  to  be  attended 
to  is  that  the  material  you  go  to  work  on  be  well  bred 
and  well  made.  In  a  puppy  two  or  three  months  old 
the  latter  is  no  easy  thing  to  tell,  for  it  is  really  ex- 
traordinary how  they  change ;  but  if,  on  the  other 
hand,  he  should  be  nine  or  ten  months,  and  possessed 
of  the  following  points,  you  may  go  to  work  with 
the  prospect  of  your  labor  not  being  thrown  away : 
Medium  size,  short  back,  strong  couplings,  and  well 


IDEAS   ON    DOG-BREAKrNG.  257 

ribbed  up,  feet  and  limbs  large,  eyes  liigh  and  intelli- 
gent. This  last  is  perhaps  not  so  absolutely  neces- 
sary, for  I  have  seen  dogs  with  the  most  washy-look- 
ing daylights  possessed  of  wonderful  sagacity,  partic- 
ularly among  spaniels  and  French  poodles,  but  I  can 
not  consider  it  other  than  a  great  defect  in  their  per- 
sonal appearance.  Above  all  things,  avoid  a  young- 
ster Avith  a  curly  tail.  I  know  nothing  more  unsight- 
ly. The  last,  although  the  most  requisite,  desidera- 
tum is  to  know  that  the  pupil  possesses  a  good  nose. 
When  very  young  this  is  not  so  easy  to  find  out, 
still  with  attention  to  the  rapidity  with  which  he 
notices  tidbits  of  bread  or  meat,  a  probably  correct 
opinion  may  be  come  at ;  but  Avhen  of  maturcA  age, 
say  old  enough  to  be  shown  game,  if  when  1  imtiiig 
he  carries  his  head  well  up  there  can  be  no  longer 
room  for  doubt  that  his  olfactory  nerves  are  ail  right. 
Your  field  language  should  always  be  th.)  same, 
and  each  command  be  expressed  by  a  word  of  one 
syllable,  the  words  being  as  dissimilar  in  intonation 
as  possible ;  but  it  is  better  far  to  do  without  the  voice 
by  substituting  the  Avhistle.  At  all  events  never 
speak  to  your  do<|i  while  hunting  unless  absolii^'iy 
necessary.  In  early  education  I  always  accoin^  any 
each  order  with  a  movement  of  the  hand;  for  in- 


258 

stance,  in  saying  "  down  "  I  liold  np  my  right  hand. 
In  a  sliort  time  the  holding  up  the  hand  alone  is  suffi- 
cient. In  quartering  your  ground,  if  your  dog  is  far 
ahead  and  you  wish  him  to  hunt  either  to  the  righ.t 
or  left  of  his  present  position,  with  one  note  on  the 
Avhistle  attract  Jiis  attention,  then  turn  in  the  line 
you  wish  him  to  hunt,  at  the  same  time  waving  your 
hand  in  the  desired  direction.  Before  long,  with  a 
note  on  the  whistle  to  make  him  look  toward  you, 
a  wave  of  the  hand  will  be  all  that  is  necessary  to 
cause  him  to  alter  his  course  to  that  which  may  be 
wished. 

All  well-bred  dogs  will  stand  game.  I  believe 
they  do  it  for  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  the  exact 
2:>osition  of  the  birds,  that  by  a  sudden  direct  rush 
they  may  have  a  cliance  of  capturing  one.  To  2)ro- 
h^ng  this  p;tuse  is  the  important  part  of  the  young- 
ster's education,  and  for  that  purpose  the  check- 
string  is  to  be  used.  A  ])lan  that  I  have  adopted 
with  the  greatest  success  is  the  following : — Procure 
some  game  birds,  I  generally  use  quail,  })luck  the 
feathers  from  one  wing  so  as  to  ivduce  their  power 
of  flight ;  drop  them  at  different  i)laces  in  a  grass 
field,  marking  within  a  few  feet  of  the  spot  with  a 
piece  of  paper,  then  give   the  birds  ten   or  lilteeu 


IDEAS    ON    DOG-BREAKING.  259 

luiiiiites'  lair,  so  that  they  may  get  over  their  fright 
and  move  about. 

Time  being  up,  take  your  pupil,  with  check-string 
made  fast  to  him,  and  hunt  him  up  wind.  As  you 
approach  where  a  bird  has  been  deposited,  caution 
him,  appear  to  be  anxiously  expecting  game,  your 
manner  will  make  him  doubly  cautious,  so  that  when 
he  winds  the  game  he  will  give  you  credit  for  more 
capability  of  finding  than  himself;  your  ability  will 
be  appreciated,  Avhicli  will  be  shown  by  the  desire 
he  will  manifest  in  carrying  out  your  future  orders ; 
but  having  come  up  to  the  birds,  when  the  dog  stands 
tighten  the  check-line,  bearing  heavily  against  him 
if  he  appears  determined  to  be  headstrong,  cau- 
tioning him  in  a  soothing,  confidential  tone,  and  the 
instant  the  bird  flutters  up  give  him  a  sharp  jerk  and 
cause  him  to  "  down,"  as  if  the  departure  of  the  bird 
was  his  fault.  Three  lessons  of  this  kind,  given  with 
care  and  proper  attention,  the  pupil  being  at  the  proper 
stage  in  other  respects,  I  have  always  found  sufiicient 
to  make  him  steady  on  his  point. 

Why  I  disapprove  so  much  the  use  of  the  voice, 
is  founded  on  two  reasons :  first,  that  it  is  more  alarm- 
ing to  game  and  more  apt  to  cause  them  to  be  wild 
than  any  other  sound,  not  even  excepting  the  report 


2G0  GUN,    EOD,    AND    SADDLE. 

of  the  gun  ;  secondly,  if  you  keep  constantly  speaking 
to  your  dogs,  from  hearing  incessantly  your  voice 
they  become  so  used  to  it,  that  in  emergencies  they 
will  fail  to  give  it  that  prompt  attention  so  desir- 
able. I  always  teach  my  setters  and  pointers 
to  retrieve  both  by  land  and  Avater;  with  the 
former  breed  this  portion  of  their  education  I  have 
never  had  any  difficulty  to  impart,  with  the  latter 
I  have  in  one  or  two  instances  found  a  most  de- 
cided antipathy  to  the  aquatic  portion,  yet  I  have 
always  succeeded  in  the  end  by  following  this  plan. 
When  the  weather  is  w^arm  take  the  youngsters  with 
you  bathing,  with  one  or  two  more  aged  and  previ- 
ously instructed  companions,  wade  some  distance 
out  and  then  call  them  ;  if  you  have  gained  their  af- 
fection they  will  ultimately  come  ;  if  you  can  do  so 
without  alarming  them  caress  them  when  in  the  wa- 
ter, and  give  them  a  small  piece  of  food.  After  get- 
ting the  puppies  to  Avade  till  nearly  out  of  their 
depth,  cross  deeper  w^ater,  and  if  tliey  will  not  come 
at  first,  hide  yourself,  occasionally  calling  them; 
I  never  knew  an  instance  in  which  they  would 
not  ultimately  come,  more  particularly  when  they 
see  the  example  of  their  more  aged  companions.  A 
few  lessons    of  this  sort  will   give  them  confidence, 


IDEA.S    ON   DOG-BEE AKING.  261 

and  after  instructing*  them  to  retrieve  by  land,  tliey 
will  do  the  same  from  water. 

Some  dogs  have  a  natural  tendency  to  retrieve ; 
with  such  there  will  be  no  difficulty,  while  others  take 
a  long-  time  to  comprehend  what  is  desired  of  them, 
one  pupil  that  I  possessed  coud  not  be  tempted  for  a 
length  of  time  to  take  any  thing  in  his  mouth  and 
carry  it.  For  days  I  tried  to  overcome  this  repug- 
nance till  my  patience  was  almost  exhausted ;  at  last  I 
adopted  a  new  plan  and  found  it  successful,  I  attach- 
ed a  long  string  to  a  ball  and  after  rolling  it  from  me, 
he  would  go  and  nose  it,  but  do  no  more ;  v>'hen  he 
was  about  to  leave,  by  pulling  the  ball  his  curiosity 
became  excited,  and  he  would  then  lay  hold  of  it. 
Repeating  this,  it  awakened  a  desire  to  retain  it, 
and  at  length,  as  if  in  sheer  opposition,  he  would  keep 
it  in  his  mouth  and  carry  it  with  him.  With  others 
I  have  tried  the  same  course,  and  always  successfully. 
I  do  not  consider  any  dog  of  these  breeds  perfectly 
broken  that  will  not  retrieve  from  both  elements  ;  and 
although  I  know  tliat  in  England  it  is  not  generally 
considered  a  necessary  part  of  their  education,  the 
advantages  are  so  obvious  that  it  does  not  need  fur- 
ther Comment.  At  four  or  five  months  old  you 
should  commence  to  handle   your  youngsters.     Ac- 


2G2  GUN,    HOT),    AND    SADDLE. 

custom  them  to  tlie  roads,  it  will  liflp  to  overcome 
tlicir  timidity  and  assist  iiiliardeuing  their  feet.  At  six 
or  seven  months  they  slionkl  be  familiar  and  conver- 
sant with  the  more  simple  portions  of  tlieir  education, 
such  as  "  down,"  "  heel,"ctc.;  and  at  about  ten  months 
game  can  be  sliown  them;  but  on  no  account  permit 
them  to  do  a  day's  work,  ov  exhaust  tliemselves  in 
liunting,  till  six  or  seven  months  more  are  over  their 
lieads.  As  to  speed,  it  is  a  common  suj)position  that 
if  a  dog  have  a  good  nose  he  can  not  have  too  much 
speed;  but  very  fast  dogs  are  apt  to  run  over  game, 
and  consequently  flush  it  from  tlie  very  rate  they  are 
moving  at.  I  have  observed  also  that  those  who  will 
do  the  longest  and  severest  day's  work  are  less  impet- 
uous as  a  rule  than  others.  When  shooting  i-egularly, 
the  dogs  in  use  should  always  be  kept  in  their  kennel 
exce[)t  when  in  the  field  ;  their  associating  liberty  with 
their  work  makes  them  more  zealous  and  anxious  to 
please.  On  hunting  days  one  good  substanti:d  meal, 
immediately  after  reaching  home,  with  a  i)iece  of 
oaten  or  coarse  bread  in  the  middle  of  the  day,  will 
be  found  the  best  working  diet;  a  dog  with  a  lull 
stomach  is  in  a  most  untit  state  to  be  used. 

There  is  one  desci'i])tion  of  dog  I  never  would  kee]) 
ill  my  kennel,  viz.,  one   that  trails  his  game.      ^Soinc 


IDEAS    ON    DOG-BREAKIXG.  2G3 

persons  recommeiKT  an  artifice  to  make  liim  hold  his 
head  up,  which  is  in  my  opinion  all  nonsense,  be- 
cause the  fault  lies  in  the  animal  being  defective  in 
scenting  powers.  But  even  if  sucli  should  not  be  tlie 
case,  and  they  are  capable  of  finding  as  ranch  game 
as  the  dog  who  ranges  with  his  head  up,  you  will  not 
have  the  same  sport,  for  although  game  may  lie  well 
to  the  latter,  they  certainly  will  not  to  the  former. 
The  birds  possibly  argue  thus,  "  that  harum-scarum 
fellow  with  head  up,  slasiiing  along  after  some  impor- 
tant business  to  the  other  side  of  the  field,  is  too  pre- 
occupied to  mind  us ;  as  long  as  we  lie  close,  there  is 
nothing  to  be  feared."  But,  on  the  other  hand,  the 
inquir)^  (if  birds  talk  to  one  another)  will  be  made  by 
some  sagacious  old  paterfamilias,  "What's  that  pot- 
tering dog  doing  down  there  ? "  All  eyes  are  im- 
mediately directed  to  the  disagreeable  intruder  in 
question,  and  very  soon  it  becomes  a  decided  point 
among  tlie  featliered  fiimily  tliat  their  footsteps  are 
being  followed,  and  that  with  felonious  intentions, 
and  in  preference  to  waiting  for  further  information 
they  wing  their  way  to  safer  retreats.  It  is  not 
because  birds  and  quadrupeds  don't  talk  that 
they  don't  think,  particularly  wild  ones,  wlien  it  is 
ou  a  point  regarding  safety.     When  young  dogs  arc 


264:  GUN,    ROD,    AND    SADDLE. 

SO  jealous  and  headstrong  that  they  will  not  back 
one  another,  it  is  well  to  UvSo  them  separately,  along 
with  an  old  and  stanch  favorite.  A  point  being 
obtained  hj  the  senior,  let  tlie  younger  approach  him 
as  close  as,  if  possible,  for  him  to  see  the  old  dog,  then 
make  him  down  charge,  by  raising  j^our  hand,  and 
keep  him  in  that  position  till  your  barrels  are  reloaded ; 
but  if  it  be  attainable,  the  elder  dog  being  the  farthest 
ahead,  call  up  the  pupil  and  give  him  the  wind,  after- 
ward slowly  approaching  where  the  firs"t  point  is 
made,  showing  by  both  manner  and  voice  that  you 
are  on  the  qui  vive^  and  do  not  let  his  pace  be  faster 
than  your  own  till  the  elder  dog  is  reached,  when  any 
attempt  to  outstrip  or  go  ahead  of  the  proprietor  of 
the  find,  should  be  instantly  corrected.  With  a  little 
patience  and  repetition  of  these  maneuvers  success 
will  be  the  result.  I  can  not  recommend,  however, 
the  practice  of  constantly  hunting  old  and  young 
dogs  together ;  for  the  former,  from  greater  experi- 
ence, will  find  more  game,  and  the  latter  seeing  this 
will  begin  to  disbelieve  in  his  own  powers,  and  follow 
the  veteran,  that  he  may  always  be  at  hand  when 
sport  is  obtained. 

The  report  of  the  gun  should  invariably  be  the  sig- 
nal for  dogs  to  drop  to  shot ;  this  lesson  should  early 


IDEAS    ON    DOG-BREAKING.  265 

be  inculcated  at  home.  To  familiarize  the  dog  witli 
the  gun  I  liave  been  in  the  habit  of  taking  a  ])istol 
with  me  to  the  kennel,  and  all  the  youngsters  being 
called  into  the  yard,  fire  it,  making  all  drop  to  shot ; 
after  having  kept  them  a  sufficient  time  down,  I 
would  cause  the  food  to  be  brought  in,  and  with  a 
wave  of  the  hand  permit  them  to  rise  and  have  their 
grub.  To  have  to  shout  "  down,"  keeping  an  eye  at 
the  same  time  on  each  of  your  dogs  so  as  to  enforce 
the  order  if  necessary,  is  very  unsportsmanlike,  and 
certainly  very  much  out  of  place  when  all  your 
powers  of  vision  and  observation  are  indispensable 
to  mark  where  the  departing  covey  are  going  to 
pitch,  or  the  dead  and  wounded  drop. 

When  seeking  for  a  wounded  or  killed  bird  never 
allow  your  dogs  to  know  that  you  have  been  unsuc- 
cessful :  if  you  have  given  as  long  a  time  as  you  can 
spare  for  the  purpose  and  see  no  ultimate  prospect  of 
finding,  take  one  of  your  bagged  birds  and  drop  it 
when  the  dog  is  engaged,  then  cast  back  that  he  may 
wind  it,  and  thus  believe  that  his  search  has  not  been 
fruitless. 

The  setters  most  in  vogue  at  the  present  day  I  do 

not  like  nearly  as  much  as  those  that  were  preferred 

fifteen  years  ago,  for  this  reason,  that  they  appear  to 
12 


266  GUN,    ROD,    x\ND    SADDLE. 

mc  too  s'jcdy ;  such  of  course  may  suit  tlic  person 
wlio  only  shoots  a  few  hours  at  a  time,  and  then 
over  highly  cultivated  level  land,  but  the  sportsman 
who  goes  in  for  work,  who  shoots  for  shooting's  sake, 
and  not  simply  to  get  up  an  appetite,  to  whom  every 
day  that  he  is  out  is  too  short,  would,  I  am  certain, 
find  more  satisfaction  in  the  representatives  of  the  old 
school.  Some  time  since  so  deeply  was  I  impi-essed 
witli  this  idea,  that  I  crossed  some  of  my  stock  with 
a  well-bred,  but  rather  lai'ge  cover  si)aniel ;  the  result 
was  that  the  second  cross  were  not  only  handsome, 
but  animals  that  there  was  no  end  of  work  in,  with 
great  activity  and  energy. 

It  frequently  happens  that  among  a  lot  of  y(Mmg- 
sters  you  will  find  one  most  provokingly  backward, 
who  won't  hunt  or  take  any  interest  in  the  proceed- 
ings. Put  a  curb  on  your  temper  and  have  patience. 
You  may  have  to  wait,  but  gradually  the  apathy  will 
wear  off,  and  ultimately  he  may  turn  out  the  flower 
of  the  flock.  I  remember  ayomigster,  which  until  he 
was  eighteen  months  old,  refused  to  take  notice  of 
game.  Two  or  three  times  a  week,  for  months,  he 
saw  birds  killed,  yet  all  was  incapable  of  imbuing  him 
with  the  proper  spirit,  for  he  would  scarcely  ever  leave 
heel.     At  length  the  ice  was  broken,     lie  got  by  ac- 


IDEAS    OX   DOG-BREAKING.  267 

cident  among  a  covey,  which  his  experience  toUl  him 
he  would  flush  if  he  moved,  and  from  that  day  a  new 
era  commenced  in  his  life.  But  this  is  not  so  much  to 
he  wondered  at.  Can  not  all  of  us  remember  some 
contemporaries  at  school  who  were  supposed  to  be 
almost  wanting  common  sense,  but  who,  ultimately, 
turned  out  brilliant  men?  Intellect  is  not  equally 
rapidly  developed  in  each,  and  precocity  is  not  al- 
ways the  precursor  of  brilliancy  in  mature  life. 

Having  said  thus  much  about  our  favorites,  I  can 
scarcely  lay  down  my  pen  without  expressing  an  idea 
or  two  on  the  lords  of  che  creation.  Bad  sportsmen 
never  have  good  dogs.  The  fussy,  nervous,  excitable 
person  never  has  good  dogs.  It  is  a  moral  impossi- 
bility that  they  can  be  so,  although  they  may  have 
been  most  perfectly  broken.  In  such  hands  they  are 
certain  to  retrograde  in  performance,  in  the  same  way 
that  the  regiment  that  is  perfect  in  its  drill  Avhen 
under  its  cool  and  collected  colonel,  becomes  a  rabble 
under  the  irate,  irascible,  nervous  major.  "  Keep  cool" 
should  be  your  motto ;  for  if  you  can  not,  your  suc- 
cess will  only  be  moderate.  Xothing  is  so  destruc- 
tive to  both  dogs  and  success  as  hurry.  Listen  in 
conclusion  to  the  advice  of  an  old  and  excellent 
sportsman,  and  you  will  see  that  his  ideas  much  coiu" 


268  GUX,   ROD,    AND   SADDLE. 

cide  with  mine : — AboA^e  all  things  never  permit  your- 
self to  be  hurried ;  but  when  using  youngsters,  yes, 
and  even  old  and  tried  dogs,  j^erform  your  loading 
and  duties  with  as  much  accuracy  as  a  soldier  upon 
parade,  remembering  that  the  loss  of  a  crippled  bird 
is  nothing  to  spoiling  a  valuable  dog ;  for  those  which 
have  courage  and  energy,  and  consequently  the  most 
promising,  will,  from  such  neglect,  be  the  most  liable 
to  suffer. 


WILDERNESS    LIFE.  209 


WILDEEIS^ESS    LIFE. 

Circumstances  had  caused  me  to  attach  myself  to 
a  trader,  wlio,  with  about  twenty  teamsters,  was  en 
route  for  uortliern  Mexico.  My  duties  were  to  liuut  and 
supply  the  ])arty  with  game,  a  pleasant  enough  occupa- 
tion but  not  without  danger,  for  the  greater  portion  of 
the  country  we  traversed  l)elonged  to  the  much-dread- 
ed Comanche,  the  most  reckless  race  of  freebooters  and 
horsemen  proba1)ly  on  tlie  face  of  the  earth,  \<\\o  are 
at  war  with  every  one,  and  prize  nothing  more  than 
a  white  man's  scalj).  Knowing  such  to  be  the  case 
it  behooved  me  to  keej)  my  weather  eye  open  when 
separated  from  my  newly-formetl  acquaintances,  but 
for  all  my  watchful ner.s  I  several  times  had  narrow 
escapes.  Still  time  fled  pleasantly  onward,  and  as 
I  write  this  I  look  back  with  delight  to  the  happy, 
free,  thoughtless  liours  passed  either  in  the  saddle  or 
Avatching  the  movements  of  the  wild  animals  that 
knew  no  bounds  to  their  demesne.  The  Indians  sel- 
dom troubled  my  thoughts,  for  I  had  a  mare,  that 


270  GUN,    ROD,    AND    SADDLE. 

I  daily  rode,  handsome  as  a  picture,  and  as  game, 
fleet,  and  enduring  as  any  animal  I  had  ever  thrown 
a  leg  over,  thorough-bred  I  believe,  and  as  sagacious 
as  a  dog.  Between  her  and  my  bat  mule  there  ex- 
isted a  most  extraordinary  affection.  I  had  but  to 
go  ahead,  and  the  latter  was  certain  to  follow,  so  if 
I  did  not  fall  into  an  ambuscade  I  knew  full  well  I 
could  distance  any  Comanche  braves  till  I  regained 
camp,  where,  behind  the  wagons  backed  by  the  stal- 
wart Missourian  teamsters,  who  well  knew  the  use 
of  their  riHes,  I  would  be  safe.  Unfortunately  tlie 
principal  of  the  expedition  was  a  most  unpleasant 
and  unpopular  person,  so  that  between  his  bullying 
and  his  unpleasant  manner,  a  mutiny  was  raised 
among  his  retainers,  and  the  consequence  was  that 
the  majority  started  en  masse  on  their  own  hook, 
to  seek  another  employer,  or  find  their  way  back 
to  their  native  State. 

My  education  and  antecedents  had  been  such  as  to 
give  me  a  horror  of  mutiny ;  moreover,  tip  to  this 
date,  I  had  nothing  to  complain  of,  so  I  determined 
to  stick  to  the  wagons,  and  use  every  effort  in  my 
power  to  save  the  owner  from  the  only  alternative 
that  appeared  left,  the  deserting  of  all  Ins  property 
in  the   wilderness.     Erti  long,  however,  I  was  com- 


WILDEENESS   LIFE.  271 

pelled  to  cliange  ray  resolution,  for  no  one  conld  sub- 
mit to  his  irascible  temper  and  constant  insulting  lan- 
guage; so,  with  no  companions  but  my  mare  and 
mule,  I  left  the  camp,  one  bright  morning  in  the  month 
of  February,  with  the  determination  of  returning  east- 
ward alone.  The  step  was  full  of  danger,  but  I  pre- 
ferred running  the  risk  rather  than  remain  to  be  fur- 
ther insulted,  or  seek  redress  by  recourse  to  weapons, 
too  often  done  in  this  lawless  portion  of  the  world. 

As  the  teams  were  being  hitched  up  I  started  in 
the  reverse  direction,  little  aAvare  of  the  trying  ordeal 
that  was  before  me.  My  animals  were  in  good  condi- 
tion and  spirits. 

For  a  week  I  traveled  northeast,  in  the  hope  of 
finding  a  suitable  halting-place  to  remain  in  till 
spring  fairly  commenced.  At  length  I  came  upon 
a  spot  which  took  my  lancy — a  small  table-land 
well  sheltered  from  the  northern  wind,  and  under- 
neath a  valley,  from  which  the  snow  had  partially 
disappeared,  and  where  there  was  a  fair  quantity  of 
bunch  grass,  the  most  desirable  food  for  the  quadru- 
peds. Under  a  projecting  rock  I  made  my  camp, 
for  the  spot  was  so  inclosed  tliat  I  hoped  the  light- 
ing of  a  fire  would  not  attract  attention.  Weeks 
rolled  by,  and  the  mare  and  mule  lost  little  of  their 


272  GITK,    ROD,    AND   SADDLE. 

condition,  although  the  v\-eathcr  was  frequently  pinch- 
ing cold.      The   canons    in    the    neighborhood    sup- 
plied me  witli  abundance  of  game,  and  each  day  I 
expected  that  a  break  in  the  weather  would  justify  a 
start  for  the  eastern  settlements.     Of  course  one  day 
was  only  in  outline  a  repetition  of  the  other,  but  how 
widely  different  in  detail.     In  the  morning  the  horses 
were  taken  to    the    bottom,  breakfast  was    cooked, 
the  enjoyable  pipe  lit,  and  the  direction  settled  in 
which  I  would  hunt,  returning  earlier  or  later,  accord- 
ing to  success.     Tlie  afternoon  would  pass  mending 
moccasins    or    clothes,  cleaning    arms  or  arrangiuii, 
camp,  procuring  firewood,  till  it  was  time  to  hunt  up 
the  nags,  which  being  accomplished,  and  the  evening 
meal  dispatched,  on  a  bed  of  leaves  I  would  smoke 
myself  to  sleep,  painting  pictures  of  distant  home  till 
no  longer  conscious.  A  hunter's  camp  always  becomes 
a  rendezvous  for  two  or  three  wolves,  and  two  of 
these  scoundrels  were  seldom  beyond  sight.     Latter- 
ly they  became  so  tame  that  they  would  come  close 
enough  to  pick  up  ji  bone  if  thrown  to  tliem,  and  one 
niglit  when  the  cold  was  more  rigorous  than  usual, 
on  awaking  to  add  fVesli  fuel  to  the  lire,  I  saw  one  of 
tliem  sitting  beside  the  warm  embers,  nodding  his 
head  like  a  sleei)y  listener  to  a  prosy  sermon.     Every 


WILDERNESS    LIFE.  273 

day  I  expected  to  be  able  to  set  out.  The  apponr- 
ance  of  the  sky  denoted  change  as  I  turned  in  on  the 
last  evening,  but  whether  it  was  anticipation  of  the 
good  things  to  be  obtained  when  civilization  had 
been  reached,  I  know  not,  or  an  unaccountable  con- 
sciousness that  danger  was  not  far  distant,  I  could 
not  sleep.  First  I  tried  one  side  and  then  the  other, 
but  without  effect.  As  it  was  not  cold  the  fire  had 
gradually  decayed  till  only  a  few  embers  remained, 
making  the  surroundino-  darkness  more  intense. 
"While  I  was  hesitatino;  whether  the  rebuilding^  of  the 
fire  or  a  fresh  pipe  would  induce  sleep,  uneasiness 
seemed  to  have  taken  possession  of  my  animals.  The 
mule  was  as  watchful  as  a  dog,  and  as  I  knew  he 
would  not  leave  his  fmend,  I  invariably  left  him  un- 
tied. Several  times  he  uttered  that  short,  quick 
snort  so  peculiar  to  the  species,  and  always  indicative 
of  alarm,  while  the  mare  kept  moving  as  far  as  her 
lariat  would  permit  her.  It  might  be  any  thing, 
from  a  deer  to  an  Indian,  so  as  my  ai-nis  Avere  at 
hand,  I  cpiietly  crawled  out  of  my  lair,  taking  special 
caution  that  no  momentary  flicker  from  the  fire 
should  disclose  ray  movements,  and  by  a  short  detour 
got  beside  the  nags,  and  soon  had  the  soft,  silky  muz- 
zle of  Beckey  in  the  palm  of  my  hand.  The  great- 
12  * 


274  GUN,    KOD,    AND    SADDLE. 

est  disaster  a  man  can  suffer  in  sucli  a  situation  is  the 
loss  either  of  his  ammunition  or  of  his  horses.  If 
there  were  any  hostile  redskins  in  the  neighborhood, 
by  the  step  I  had  taken  a  stampede  of  my  animals 
•was  now  impossible,  A  few  of  the  longest  hours  I 
thus  sat,  my  presence  reassuring  the  beasts,  and, 
when  day  broke,  so  still  had  all  become,  that  I  doubt 
not  I  should  have  been  asleep,  only  that  the  hour 
preceding  day  is  well  known  to  be  invariably  the 
time  selected  by  Indians  to  carry  out  their  machina- 
tions. In  the  morning,  quietly  moving  about  camp, 
as  if  pursuing  unsuspiciously  my  usual  av^ocations,  I 
particularly  examined  the  locality,  when,  among  the 
remaining  scattered  patches  of  snow,  the  easily-dis- 
tinguished bruised  moccasin  track  of  an  Indian  was 
discovered,  doubtless  made  by  a  brave,  who  in 
search  for  game  had  got  benighted,  when  he  had  stum- 
bled across  my  hiding-place.  My  camp  was  there- 
fore no  longer  safe  ;  the  coming  night,  he,  with  his 
companions,  would  be  back,  when  woe  betide  the 
solitary  white  man.  My  horses  I  accompanied  to 
their  feeding-ground,  not  })ermitting  tliem  to  get  be- 
yond control,  and  as  soon  as  their  ajjpetites  were 
sufficiently  satisiied,  I  returned  to  my  little  liome 
for  tlic  last  time.     The  few  trifles  I  possessed  were 


WILDERXESS    LIFE.  275 

soon  packed,  and  nothing  remained  further  to  delay 
me.  Still  I  waited  a  quarter  of  an  hour  longer,  for 
the  purpose  #f  building  a  pile  of  wood,  in  which  I 
placed  some  smoldering  embei-s,  in  the  hope  that  it 
would  not  blaze  up  till  several  hours  after  dark — an 
indication  that  I  doubted  not  the  redskins  would 
construe  into  a  certain  evidence  that  I  Avns  stil)  ig- 
norant of  being  discovered.  On  my  arrival  in  the 
Bayou  my  mare  had  been  a  little  tender  in  f'-ont 
from  her  hoofs  having  been  worn  very  close  ;  the 
period  of  rest  had  rectified  tliis,  and,  full  of  hope  and 
anticipation,  I  pushed  my  way  eastward,  the  only 
regret  that  passed  like  a  cloud  over  my  mind  occur- 
ring as  I  took  the  last,  ay,  and  long  look,  at  my 
wilderness  home. 


{i 


